Barbara Woodward confirmed that arms export to Israel is constantly under review, describing the situation in Gaza as ‘truly appalling’.
The United Kingdom Ambassador to the United Nations, Barbara Woodward, said on Friday that Britain does not exclude further measures against Israel, Anadolu news agency reported.
“When we put the export bans in place, on the 30 (arms export licenses) that we have, I think there’s about 350 altogether, that any further measures would be up for consideration,” Woodward told reporters in answer to a question on whether Britain might extend arms export license suspensions to Israel.
“So, we don’t have anything under active consideration, but we certainly haven’t ruled it out,” the UK ambassador added as quoted by Anadolu.
Woodward claimed that her country has a “very carefully monitored and transparent program” of arms exports to Israel.
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She added that Tel Aviv has reacted “quite vociferously” to the 30 licenses suspension in September.
Woodward confirmed that arms export to Israel is constantly under review.
“Obviously, further action remains under review, but we don’t have an arms embargo at the moment, but we have cut our arms exports to Israel bilaterally,” she stated as quoted by Anadolu.
‘Truly Appalling’
Concerning the situation in the besieged Gaza Strip, Woodward told reporters that it is “truly appalling,” emphasizing that her country is increasing funding for humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave.
“The provisions we took to suspend arms exports to Israel were part of a larger picture in that so we have increased our humanitarian aid,” the British ambassador said.
Woodward, whose country assumed the presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of November, revealed that Foreign Secretary, David Lammy has been in conversation with the “very highest levels” of Israeli officials to allow for unrestricted humanitarian aid entry into the Strip.
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The UK ambassador said there are “no more excuses” for preventing aid entry into Gaza.
“We’re taking, I would say, a very robust line on the importance of doing that and then moving to a ceasefire and getting the hostages out and finding the political space,” she said.
‘Not a Blanket Ban’
Last September, the British government announced the immediate suspension of around 30 arms export licenses to Israel after a review found there is a “real risk” that weapons may be used in violation of international humanitarian law.
“The assessment I have received leaves me unable to conclude anything other than that for certain UK arms exports to Israel, there does exist a clear risk that they might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law,” UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy told MPs on September 2.
He said “around 30 from a total of approximately 350” export licenses to Israel were affected.
“These include equipment that we assess is for use in the current conflict in Gaza,…such as important components which go into military aircraft, including fighter aircraft, helicopters and drones, as well as items which facilitate ground targeting,” Lammy said.
‘Not a Blanket Ban’ – UK Suspends 30 Arms Export Licences to Israel
He also pointed out that “this is not a blanket ban. This is not an arms embargo,” as the suspension only targets items “which could be used in the current conflict in Gaza.”
Lammy said the decision was not taken “lightly”, and stressed that the UK “continues to support Israel’s right to self-defense in accordance with international law.”
Death Toll on the Rise
Flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire, Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza.
Currently on trial before the International Court of Justice for genocide against Palestinians, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 43,259 Palestinians have been killed, and 101,827 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7, 2023.
Moreover, at least 11,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip.
Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire’.
Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.
The Israeli war has resulted in an acute famine, mostly in northern Gaza, resulting in the death of many Palestinians, mostly children.
The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine’s largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba.
Later in the war, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians began moving from the south to central Gaza in a constant search for safety.
(PC, Anadolu)
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