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Britain should stop arming Israel, say Lib Dems UK government under pressure from Tories to stop arming Israel
(32 minutes later)
Leader Ed Davey calls for swift action to suspend arms exports to Israel after seven aid workers killed in Gaza Lib Dems also call for action to suspend arms exports to Israel after seven aid workers killed in Gaza
The UK should stop arming Israel, the Liberal Democrats have said after seven aid workers were killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza. The government is under pressure from Tory MPs and peers to stop arming Israel after seven humanitarian aid workers were killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza.
Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, said the idea that UK-made arms could have been used in a strike such as this was “completely unacceptable”. Three Conservatives told the Guardian on Wednesday that the UK should stop exporting arms to Israel following the strike, which killed three British aid workers.
“The government must take swift action to suspend arms exports to Israel,” he said on Wednesday morning. “We must redouble our efforts to secure an immediate bilateral ceasefire.” Their intervention comes after Peter Ricketts, who was a government national security adviser during David Cameron’s premiership, said the “time has come” to send a signal and stop exporting arms.
Davey’s intervention adds to calls for the UK to stop exporting arms to Israel after the strike, which killed seven international aid workers including three Britons. David Jones, the Conservative MP for Clwyd West, said the Israeli strike on the aid convoy was “extraordinary”.
Lord Ricketts, who was a government national security adviser during David Cameron’s premiership, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Sometimes in conflict, you get a moment where there’s such global outrage that it crystalises a sense that things can’t go on like this.” “The government should urgently reassess its supply of arms and deliver a stern warning to Israel about its conduct. Israel has every right to defend itself and every right to act proportionately – that doesn’t include people who are trying to do good,” he said.
The seven aid workers, who had been delivering food aid to Gaza, were killed on Tuesday by an Israeli drone. Those killed – three British citizens, a Palestinian, a US-Canadian dual citizen, a Pole and an Australian – were working for World Central Kitchen (WCK), an international charity that has brought hundreds of tonnes of food aid into Gaza. “Given that we’ve seen three British citizens – all of them ex-forces – killed in what is, at best, a negligent manner I think that we really need to reassess our supply of weaponry there.
Ricketts said the international community “needs to look at further steps to increase the pressure on [Israeli prime minister Benjamin] Netanyahu”, adding that the UK should stop arming Israel. “I thought that [Benjamin] Netanyahu’s response – ‘these things happen in war’ – was completely inadequate, frankly shamefully inadequate.”
“I think there’s abundant evidence now that Israel hasn’t been taking enough care to fulfil its obligations on the safety of civilians. And a country that gets arms from the UK has to comply with international humanitarian law. That’s a condition of the arms export licence. So honestly, I think the time has come to send that signal. Flick Drummond, the Conservative MP for Meon Valley, said UK arms sales to Israel should be stopped “for the foreseeable future”.
“It won’t change the course of the war. It would be a powerful political message. And it might just stimulate debate in the US as well, which would be the real gamechanger if the Americans began to think about putting limits restrictions on the use of American weapons in Israel” “This has been concerning me for some time,” she said. “What worries me is the prospect of UK arms being used in Israel’s actions in Gaza which I believe have broken international law.”
Ricketts called for “an immediate ceasefire for an extended period to open up the borders and make it safe to get aid in for those delivering it and those receiving it”, adding this could also help secure the release of hostages held by Hamas. Hugo Swire, a former Foreign Office minister in Cameron’s government, said: “I fully support the UK policy of selling arms to Israel in order for Israel to be able to defend herself from any would-be aggressor. What I do not support is the selling of arms which can be – and now look as if they are being – used offensively in Gaza.”
The former Conservative Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt also said there was now a higher chance that the UK might suspend arms sales to Israel, telling the BBC’s The World Tonight programme on Tuesday that it would a send a clear signal “that there’s a point beyond which the UK simply cannot go”. The Liberal Democrats called for UK arms exports to Israel to be suspended on Wednesday morning.
The prime minister, Rishi Sunak, has called for an urgent investigation into the Israeli airstrike. Lord Ricketts, who is also a former permanent secretary of the Foreign Office, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I think there’s abundant evidence now that Israel hasn’t been taking enough care to fulfil its obligations on the safety of civilians. And a country that gets arms from the UK has to comply with international humanitarian law. That’s a condition of the arms export licence. So honestly, I think the time has come to send that signal.
“It won’t change the course of the war. It would be a powerful political message. And it might just stimulate debate in the US as well, which would be the real gamechanger.”
The seven aid workers, who had been delivering food aid to Gaza, were killed on Tuesday by an Israeli drone. Those killed – three British citizens, a Palestinian, a US-Canadian dual citizen, a Pole and an Australian – were working for World Central Kitchen (WCK), an international charity.
The former Conservative Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt also said there was now a higher chance that the UK might suspend arms sales to Israel, telling the BBC’s The World Tonight programme on Tuesday that it would send a clear signal “that there’s a point beyond which the UK simply cannot go”.
Rishi Sunak has called for an urgent investigation into the Israeli airstrike.
The seven victims were named by WCK as Britons John Chapman, 57, James Henderson, 33, and James Kirby, 47, who were working for the charity’s security team. The team’s leader, Lalzawmi (Zomi) Frankcom, 43, an Australian national, also died, along with American-Canadian dual citizen Jacob Flickinger, 33, Polish national Damian Sobol, 35, and Palestinian Saif Issam Abu Taha, 25.The seven victims were named by WCK as Britons John Chapman, 57, James Henderson, 33, and James Kirby, 47, who were working for the charity’s security team. The team’s leader, Lalzawmi (Zomi) Frankcom, 43, an Australian national, also died, along with American-Canadian dual citizen Jacob Flickinger, 33, Polish national Damian Sobol, 35, and Palestinian Saif Issam Abu Taha, 25.
On Tuesday, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz published details of the strike, citing defence sources. On Tuesday the Israeli newspaper Haaretz published details of the strike, citing defence sources. According to the report, an Israeli drone fired three missiles at the convoy of three armoured cars – all of which were clearly marked on the roof and sides with the WCK’s logo – because of a suspicion that an armed militant was travelling with them.
According to the report, an Israeli drone fired three missiles at the convoy of three armoured cars – all of which were clearly marked on the roof and sides with the WCK’s logo – because of a suspicion that an armed militant was travelling with them.
Despite the fact that the suspect did not leave a warehouse with the rest of the group, the cars were hit as they travelled back along a route pre-approved and coordinated with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the report said.Despite the fact that the suspect did not leave a warehouse with the rest of the group, the cars were hit as they travelled back along a route pre-approved and coordinated with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the report said.
A Hermes 450 drone struck one car, causing some of the passengers to abandon it and switch to the other two vehicles. According to Haaretz, the team notified the IDF they had been attacked, but another missile then hit the second car. Lt Gen Herzi Halevi, the chief of the general staff of the IDF, said the incident was “a mistake that followed a misidentification –during a war in very complex conditions. It shouldn’t have happened”.
Passengers in the third car tried to help the wounded, the newspaper said. According to the Guardian’s geolocation of the strikes, the last car was hit by a third missile about a mile farther south.
WCK has paused its operations in the region while it decides on future activities.
Lt Gen Herzi Halevi, chief of the general staff of the IDF, said the incident was “a mistake that followed a misidentification –during a war in very complex conditions. It shouldn’t have happened”.
He added that an independent body would conduct a “thorough investigation” which is to be completed in the coming days.
Guardian Newsroom: The unfolding crisis in the Middle EastOn Tuesday 30 April, 7-8.15pm GMT, join Devika Bhat, Peter Beaumont, Emma Graham-Harrison and Ghaith Abdul-Ahad as they discuss the fast-developing crisis in the Middle East. Book tickets here or at theguardian.liveGuardian Newsroom: The unfolding crisis in the Middle EastOn Tuesday 30 April, 7-8.15pm GMT, join Devika Bhat, Peter Beaumont, Emma Graham-Harrison and Ghaith Abdul-Ahad as they discuss the fast-developing crisis in the Middle East. Book tickets here or at theguardian.live
Guardian Newsroom: The unfolding crisis in the Middle EastOn Tuesday 30 April, 7-8.15pm GMT, join Devika Bhat, Peter Beaumont, Emma Graham-Harrison and Ghaith Abdul-Ahad as they discuss the fast-developing crisis in the Middle East. Book tickets here or at theguardian.liveGuardian Newsroom: The unfolding crisis in the Middle EastOn Tuesday 30 April, 7-8.15pm GMT, join Devika Bhat, Peter Beaumont, Emma Graham-Harrison and Ghaith Abdul-Ahad as they discuss the fast-developing crisis in the Middle East. Book tickets here or at theguardian.live