Labour rules out suspending further arms exports to Israel as a 'mistake'

Israel and terrorist organisation Hezbollah have exchanged a volley of rockets following amid the ongoing war in Gaza where tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians have been killed

David Lammy has said it would be a “mistake” to suspend all arms export licences to Israel, suggesting such a move would lead to “a wider war”.

The Foreign Secretary was asked by an audience member at a fringe event at Labour conference when the Government would take the step of introducing a full arms embargo, after the government suspended some exports to Israel. “We have suspended those licences that could be used to breach international humanitarian law in Gaza,” he said.

“I don’t think it would be quite right to suspend licences, for example, that the Israelis could use in relation to the Houthis, that Israel may need to use in relation to the challenges it has with other proxies in the area. I think that would be a mistake. It would lead to a wider war and an escalation that we here in the UK are committed to stopping, so I’m afraid I disagree with that position.”

David Lammy has said he was “deeply, deeply concerned” by events in the West Bank and left the door open for possible sanctions for those engaging in “escalatory behaviour”.

“I’m not announcing further sanctions today but that is kept under close review,” the Foreign Secretary told a Labour Party conference fringe event hosted by Labour Together.

“As you would expect, I’m deeply, deeply concerned by what I’ve seen at this point in time.” Asked whether he was referring to events in the West Bank, he said: “Yes.”

David Lammy said “this cannot be a moment to recoil from the rule of law” when asked why the Government had begun to take some steps which some may see as critical of Israel. The Foreign Secretary was questioned on why recent decisions on arms exports and restoring funding to UNRWA had been taken, and how he would explain these positions to Israelis.

Speaking at a Labour Party conference fringe event hosted by Labour Together, he said: “We in the Labour Party have been calling for a ceasefire now for approaching 10 months. We think there needs to be a hostage deal and there needs to be a ceasefire.

“But, actually, we’re also very clear that in a tough geopolitical environment particularly, this cannot be a moment to recoil from the rule of law and the international humanitarian law architecture that was set up in the wake of the Second World War which our men and women died fighting for, which our country is really clear on.”

His comments come as Israel and Hezbollah exchange missiles with one another. Israeli missiles have struck Hezbollah's stronghold in southern Lebanon as well as the capital Beirut.

Hezbollah in turn has fired more than 100 rockets over into Israel.