The UK's Chief Rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, sharply criticized the British government's decision on Monday to suspend 30 out of approximately 350 arms export licenses to Israel.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday night, Rabbi Mirvis expressed disbelief at the timing of the decision, saying it was made "at a time when Israel is engaged in a war for its very survival on seven fronts, a conflict forced upon it on October 7th, and during the moment when six hostages, brutally murdered by terrorists, were being laid to rest by their families."
Rabbi Mirvis argued that the suspension perpetuates "the falsehood that Israel is violating International Humanitarian Law, despite its extraordinary efforts to uphold it."
He also warned that this move would "embolden Israel's enemies and those shared by the world" and would not contribute to "securing the release of the remaining 101 hostages, nor to achieving the peaceful future that all people in the region and beyond desire and pray for."
Rabbi Mirvis emphasized the importance of the UK and Israel standing together against common threats to ensure a safer world. "That must surely be the path forward," he added.
The British government announced the suspension of several arms export licenses due to concerns that the equipment could be used in serious violations of international humanitarian law. Unlike the United States, the UK does not provide direct arms to Israel but issues licenses allowing companies to sell weapons, following legal assessments of their compliance with international law.
The suspended licenses involve components for Israel's aerial systems, including fighter jets, helicopters, and drones. The suspension does not affect the F-35 program, a multinational project involving several countries, including Israel.
The UK government indicated that the suspension could be lifted if it determines that the risk of violations has decreased.
Since taking office on July 5, the UK's center-left Labour government has consistently called for a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict and has urged the acceleration of aid deliveries to the region.
The conflict escalated on October 7 when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, primarily civilians, and the taking of 251 hostages. Israel has since been engaged in military operations in Gaza, aiming to dismantle Hamas and secure the release of the hostages.
The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry claims that over 40,000 people in Gaza have been killed or are presumed dead, though these figures cannot be independently verified and do not distinguish between civilians and fighters. Israel asserts that it has killed around 17,000 combatants in the conflict and an additional 1,000 terrorists inside Israel on October 7. Israel has emphasized its efforts to minimize civilian casualties, accusing Hamas of using Gaza's civilian population as human shields by operating from residential areas, hospitals, schools, and mosques. Photo by Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Wikimedia commons.