UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday defended his government’s partial suspension of arms exports to Israel, emphasising that the decision was based on legal concerns rather than a shift in policy. Starmer confirmed that the UK continues to support Israel’s right to self-defense, despite the suspension of 30 out of 350 arms export licenses.
“This is a legal decision, not a policy decision,” Starmer explained during the Prime Minister’s Questions session, noting that the decision followed a review into Israel’s conduct in the Gaza conflict. The review was initiated by Foreign Secretary David Lammy after Starmer’s Labour Party took power in July.
The partial suspension affects items that could be used in the Gaza war, such as fighter aircraft, helicopters, and drones, but excludes parts for advanced F-35 stealth jets. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the move as “shameful.”
Starmer denied suggestions of a split with the United States, with US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby confirming that Washington was informed of the decision beforehand. Kirby also noted that the US had not determined that Israel violated humanitarian law.
