BRITAIN has suspended a number of arms export licences to Israel, following concerns about the use of UK-supplied equipment in its controversial offensive against Gaza, the Foreign office has announced.
The move, which officials insisted did not amount to a partial embargo, came after a review of all existing export licences to the country ordered by Foreign Secretary David Miliband in the wake of the conflict.
“We reassessed these licences against the UK and EU consolidated criteria,” a spokesman said.
“We judged that in a small number of cases, Israeli action in Cast Lead (the code name for the operation) would result in the export of those goods now contravening the consolidated criteria.
“These licences have been revoked. This is standard practice: a number of licences to both Russia and Georgia were revoked following the Georgia conflict.”
Israeli officials said five licences had been revoked which all applied to parts for Saar-class missile boats, vessels which were used to fire missiles and artillery shells at coastal targets.
