Labour see 'massive increase' in UK military equipment sent to Israel
Analysis of strategic export control licensing statistics published on Thursday showed that £127.6 million of military equipment was sent to Israel between October and December 2024.
CAAT added: 'This is a massive increase, with the figure in this three-month period totalling more than 2020-2023 combined.'
Figures from the UK Government and CAAT show that in 2020, £31m worth of military equipment was sent to Israel, £24m was in 2021, £42m in 2022, and £18m in 2023. This totals around £115m.
READ MORE: David Lammy denies misleading parliament over Israeli arms exports
The UK Government figures further show that 21 non-military export licences for good worth £8.5m were also granted to Israel between October and December 2024.
The majority of the licenses detailed in the new figures relate to military radars, components and software, and targeting equipment.
The licences were granted after the Labour Government suspended around 30 of 350 licences to Israel amid concerns the equipment would be used to breach international law.
The UK Government is this week in the High Court defending its decision not to include parts for F-35 fighter jets, which have been used by Israel in Gaza, in the suspended licences.
The underside of an F-35 fighter jetAt the hearing, Labour's lawyers have argued that the evidence does not support findings that a genocide has taken or is taking place in Gaza – despite the UK Government publicly insisting that any determination of genocide is for the courts and not them.
The UK Government is obliged to block export licences if there is a clear risk they will be used to breach international law.
However, CAAT said: "The UK government is arguing [at the High Court] that 'the impact of suspending F-35 components on operations in Gaza is likely to be minimal' given the 'IDF is one of the most significant and well-equipped militaries in the world'.
"Meanwhile, Defence Secretary John Healy claimed that suspending F-35 exports would cause a 'profound impact on international peace and security'.
"However, the claims that the impact of the suspension would be 'minimal' is contradicted by the evidence.
READ MORE: Top UN official accuses Israel of 'deliberate' aid blockade risking genocide
"Israel is using its 39 F-35s at five times the normal rate which has led to a very high demand for spare parts. According to Freedom of Information requests obtained by CAAT, the open license for spare parts was used 14 times more in 2023 than in any other year."
Emily Apple, CAAT's media coordinator, said: 'This is a truly shocking increase in military exports to Israel. This is the Labour government aiding and abetting Israel's genocide in Gaza.
"It is sickening that instead of imposing a full two-way arms embargo, Keir Starmer's government has massively increased the amount of military equipment the UK is sending to Israel.
'The government's claim that stopping the export of F-35 components is a risk to peace and security is untenable, illegal and immoral. We are watching a genocide. We are seeing Palestinian children blown apart by bombs dropped by F-35s.
"Everyday we see images of starving children, the victims of Israel's deliberate policy to deny aid into Gaza. These are war crimes.
'Our government is complicit in the death of every Palestinian child. Our government is complicit in genocide. This cannot be allowed to continue.
"We hope the legal action is successful but these new figures show that we need to increase the pressure and take action to stop the UK's genocide profiteers."
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Image: Archive) Israel is credibly accused of committing genocide in Gaza, with the International Court of Justice saying Palestinians' right to be protected from the crime faces "plausible" risk.
Israel has banned any food, shelter, medicine or other goods from entering Gaza for the past 10 weeks, even as it carries out waves of air strikes and ground operations.
Israel shattered the ceasefire agreement in March and has since announced plans to take control of all of the Palestinian region which it illegally occupies.
Outright famine is the mostly likely scenario in Gaza unless conditions change, according to findings by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a leading international authority on the severity of hunger crises.
Nearly a half million Palestinians are in 'catastrophic' levels of hunger, meaning they face possible starvation, the report said, while another million are at 'emergency' levels of hunger.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is wanted for arrest by the International Criminal Court over allegations of crimes against humanity, including the use of starvation as a weapon of war.
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