International

UK arms exports to Israel continue despite licence suspension, report reveals

Monday, 12 May 2025 12:11AM UTC

A new report uncovers how over 8,000 munitions were shipped from the UK to Israel between September 2024 and March 2025, revealing a loophole that bypasses the official suspension of export licences amid ongoing Gaza conflict concerns.

The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) has expressed strong approval for a recent report highlighting the ongoing flow of UK arms exports to Israel. Released on 7 May by Progressive International, the Palestine Youth Movement (PYM), and Workers for a Free Palestine, the report reveals troubling data derived from the Israel Tax Authority, indicating that over 8,000 separate munitions were exported from the UK to Israel between September 2024 and March 2025, despite a partial suspension of export licences.

In September 2024, the UK government announced the suspension of approximately 30 arms export licences to Israel, primarily citing concerns regarding potential violations of International Humanitarian Law amid ongoing military operations in Gaza. This suspension targeted key military components, including those used in fighter aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, and naval systems, aiming to prevent UK arms from facilitating serious violations during such operations.

However, the report contends that a loophole exists, allowing spare parts to continue flowing to Israel through intermediary nations, notably the US. This circumventing approach has raised questions about the integrity of the UK government's commitment to limiting its involvement in the conflict. The evidence presented suggests that the UK may have continued supplying components for F-35 jets to Israel, directly contradicting statements made by senior government officials in the House of Commons. The Foreign Secretary previously asserted that much of what the UK exports to Israel is defensive, downplaying its classification as conventional arms.

Compounding the issue, the opaqueness of UK trade data and the broad customs codes employed make it challenging to discern the true nature and extent of the UK’s military contributions to Israel. Jeanine Hourani from the Palestine Youth Movement remarked on this inconsistency, stating, “We actually could glean more about what the UK is sending to Israel from Israeli data than from UK data. This is really shocking.” This lack of clarity calls for a comprehensive review and the release of transparent data regarding arms exports from the UK, as advocated by the report's authors.

The timing of this report is particularly significant, as it coincides with impending High Court hearings involving a legal challenge against the UK government’s ongoing arms sales to Israel. Filed by Palestinian human rights organisation Al-Haq and supported by the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN), this challenge seeks to scrutinise the legality of arms exports under international humanitarian law.

Further context is provided by parliamentary reports indicating that since May 2015, the UK has licensed over £442 million worth of arms to Israeli forces, encompassing a wide array of military hardware, from drones to armoured vehicles. Concerns surrounding the deployment of these UK-sourced military resources in the Occupied Palestinian Territories have led to calls from various MPs for a complete cessation of arms sales and rigorous examination of potential implications for war crimes.

Despite previous assertions about arms exports being non-lethal or limited to defensive purposes, Human Rights Watch has highlighted inconsistencies in the UK government's public position, urging for greater accountability and transparency in its arms export policy to Israel.

The current landscape reveals a complex interplay of ethical considerations, international legal obligations, and national security interests, positioning the UK government under increased scrutiny as the ramifications of its arms export policies continue to unfold.

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2025/05/11/icjp-uk-arms-export-to-israel/ - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-suspends-around-30-arms-export-licences-to-israel-for-use-in-gaza-over-international-humanitarian-law-concerns - In September 2024, the UK government suspended approximately 30 arms export licences to Israel due to concerns that certain military exports might be used in violations of International Humanitarian Law during operations in Gaza. The suspension targeted items such as components for fighter aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, naval systems, and targeting equipment. The decision aimed to prevent UK exports from facilitating serious violations of international law while maintaining support for Israel's security.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/export-control-licensing-management-information-for-israel/israel-export-control-licensing-data-6-december-2024 - As of December 2024, the UK had 368 extant export licences to Israel, with 16 suspended due to concerns over potential use in Gaza operations. The suspended licences included components for fighter aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, naval systems, and targeting equipment. The data highlighted the UK's commitment to transparency in arms export controls and the ongoing assessment of compliance with international humanitarian law.
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmselect/cmquad/282/report.html - A parliamentary report detailed that since May 2015, the UK licensed over £442 million worth of arms to Israeli forces, including military technology, aircraft, helicopters, drones, grenades, bombs, missiles, countermeasures, armoured vehicles, tanks, ammunition, and small arms. The report also noted concerns about the use of UK-sourced equipment in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and called for a suspension of arms sales and a full review of potential war crimes implications.
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cdp-2023-0223/ - Between May 2015 and August 2022, the UK licensed over £442 million worth of arms to Israel, including military technology, aircraft, helicopters, drones, grenades, bombs, missiles, countermeasures, armoured vehicles, tanks, ammunition, and small arms. The briefing also highlighted concerns among MPs regarding arms exports to Israel, particularly in relation to potential violations of international humanitarian law and human rights.
https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8660/uk-arms-exports-to-israel/publications/3/correspondence/ - The UK Parliament's Committees on Arms Export Controls published correspondence related to arms exports to Israel, including letters from Saferworld and the Minister for Europe, North America, and the Overseas Territories. These documents discuss the legal basis for F-35 exports, the suspension of licences, and the UK's compliance with international humanitarian law in the context of arms exports to Israel.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/02/28/uk-governments-public-position-weapons-licences-israel-inconsistent - Human Rights Watch criticized the UK government's public position on weapons licences to Israel, stating that the government's statements about providing no lethal or military equipment to Israel since October 2023 were inconsistent with available evidence. The report highlighted concerns about the lack of transparency in Open General Export Licences and the potential use of UK-made components in F-35 fighter jets by Israeli forces.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 9

Notes: The narrative involves recent events and figures, including a report released on 7 May 2025 and ongoing legal challenges. It aligns with current affairs and does not appear recycled from older content.

Quotes check

Score: 8

Notes: A direct quote from Jeanine Hourani is included, but its original source or date cannot be verified online. The presence of new quotes suggests they may be from recent interviews or statements.

Source reliability

Score: 6

Notes: The narrative originates from The Canary, which may not be as widely recognised or vetted as major outlets like the BBC or Reuters. However, it cites specific reports and organisations (e.g., Progressive International), lending some credibility.

Plausability check

Score: 8

Notes: The claims about UK arms exports and legal challenges are plausible given historical contexts and ongoing issues in Israeli-Palestinian relations. The narrative aligns with known ethical and legal concerns regarding arms exports.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM

Summary: The narrative seems generally plausible and fresh, given recent events and reports. However, the source's reliability is moderate, and some claims require further verification due to the complexity of international arms trade regulations and data transparency issues.

UK arms trade
Israel
International humanitarian law
Palestine conflict
UK government