‘Deeply Troubling’ – Amnesty Warns UK against Unblocking of Arms Sales to Israel
NEWS
Amnesty stressed that the UK’s exports of parts for F-35 fighter jets continued despite a September 2024 announcement that arms exports licenses would be suspended.
Amnesty International UK urged the British government on Tuesday not to “reward” Israel by unblocking arms export licenses, saying such a move would be “deeply troubling” amid the ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip.
“The UK government signalling they may unblock arms sales to Israel is deeply troubling,” the rights group said in a statement this week.
“Let’s not be fooled by talk of ‘ceasefires’ or ‘peace.’ Israel’s genocide in Gaza has not stopped. Killings have continued. The illegal blockade remains, as does the system of apartheid,” the organization added.
The remarks followed Business Secretary Peter Kyle’s comments during an interview with The Jewish Chronicle newspaper, which was published on Monday, as reported by the Anadolu news agency.
Export Licences Could be ‘Unblocked’
During the interview that took place at Sunday’s Jewish Labour Movement annual conference in London, Kyle said that paused UK arms export licenses to Israel could be “unblocked” after Phase Two of the ceasefire deal is concluded.
He committed to revisiting UK-Israel trade conversations and paused arms export licenses after he saw “progress with peace.”
In September 2024, the British government announced it was suspending 30 out of 350 arms export licenses to Israel following a review that found a “clear risk” that some exports could be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law.
Last May, then-British Foreign Secretary David Lammy suspended negotiations with Israel on a new free trade deal.
‘Never Fully Banned’
Amnesty, however, stressed that the UK “never fully banned arms in the first place.”
“Exports of parts for F-35 fighter jets continued – jets that have been used in Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians,” the statement added.
The organization emphasized that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) “directed states in July 2024 not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence” in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
“To attribute the lifting of this suspension to trade deals or Trump’s plans, rather than to our obligations under international law and ICJ rulings, is highly problematic yet painfully telling about this Government’s real priorities,” the organization stated.
It added that these decisions “should be grounded in human rights and legal responsibilities, not political manoeuvring.”
“The UK must not reward Israel as it is deepening its illegal occupation and apartheid policies,” the organization stressed.
Record High Exports
In October last year, it was reported that new customs data indicate that the value of UK arms exports to Israel reached a record high in June 2025, with September ranking as the second-highest month on record, despite the UK government’s partial suspension of some export licenses.
The Anadolu news agency cited an exclusive report by Channel 4 that, as of July, the ruling Labour government still maintained more than 300 arms export licenses with Israel.
It said Israeli customs figures showed that the UK continues to provide arms to Israel. In August, customs records reveal that more than 100,000 bullets were shipped from Britain to Israel, with the total value of UK arms exports in that month estimated at around £150,000 (about $201,000).
In June alone, Israel received £408,000 (approximately $547,000) worth of arms from the UK, making it the highest monthly value since customs records began in January 2022.
Ongoing Assault on Gaza
Starting on October 7, 2023, the Israeli military, with American support, launched a genocidal war against the people of Gaza. This campaign has so far resulted in the deaths of over 71,300 Palestinians, with more than 171,000 wounded. The vast majority of the population has been displaced, and the destruction of infrastructure is unprecedented since World War II. Thousands of people are still missing.
In addition to the military assault, the Israeli blockade has caused a man-made famine, leading to the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians—mostly children—with hundreds of thousands more at risk.
Despite widespread international condemnation, little has been done to hold Israel accountable. The nation is currently under investigation for genocide by the International Court of Justice, while accused war criminals, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, are officially wanted by the International Criminal Court.
(Anadolu, PC)