Weapons and military equipment produced in the UK are being used in Israel’s unfolding genocide against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
War on Want has launched a new report exposing the UK companies producing military equipment for Israel, the arms licences granted by the UK government, and the UK banks investing in this deadly trade.
We must stand with the Palestinian people and end UK complicity in Israel’s war crimes. email your MP today and make sure they read War on Want’s report, ahead of an important debate in parliament next week to end the UK-Israel arms trade?
EMAIL THE REPORT TO YOUR MP
READ THE REPORT FOR YOURSELF
War on Want says:
Produced with our allies Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), our new report details how arms components made in UK factories are transferred to Israel, and then used in attacks on Palestinians — attacks that likely amount to war crimes.
F-35 combat aircraft, for example, contain fuselages produced by BAE Systems in Lancashire, targeting systems produced by Leonardo in Edinburgh, and undergo durability testing in East Yorkshire. The UK also provides Israel with components for missiles and tanks, as well as guns and ammunition.
Israeli politicians have been clear about how they intend to use their high-tech military weaponry. Israel’s Defence Minister called the people of Gaza “human animals”. Israel’s President Herzog stated “it is an entire nation out there that is responsible [for the October 7 attacks]” — conflating Palestinian civilians with combatants, and indicating an intention to unleash collective punishment on the Palestinian people – in contravention of international law. Israel’s Heritage Minister Eliyahu called for a nuclear bomb to be dropped on Gaza.
While UN experts have denounced this “increasing genocidal incitement” from Israeli leaders, calling it a “genocide in the making” — the UK government continues to provide political support and grants licences to sell arms to Israel.
By licensing the export of weapons to Israel, likely to be used in Israel’s violations of international law, the UK government is breaking its international obligations – and likely breaching the Geneva Conventions that provide legal protection for civilians during war.
ACT NOW
Our research has uncovered that it’s not only UK-based arms companies profiting from Israel’s violent occupation and apartheid regime. UK-based banks are profiting through investments in arms companies selling weapons to Israel. Barclays, one of the UK’s largest high-street banks, has over £1 billion in shareholdings – while providing substantial loans and financial services to at least nine arms companies producing weapons used in Israel’s attacks on Palestinians.
END UK COMPLICITY IN ISRAEL’S WAR CRIMES
We are demanding a two-way arms embargo on Israel without delay, to end UK complicity in Israel’s crimes against the Palestinian people. The UK government must put in place binding regulations to stop UK businesses and banks from trading and profiting from Israel’s military campaigns, occupation, illegal settlements and violations of Palestinian rights.
Not all UK politicians want to continue enabling this horrific violence. Chris Law, with Imran Hussain, Afzal Khan, Tommy Sheppard and Zarah Sultana have just tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) 177 to end the UK-Israel arms trade. Bronwen, please, urge your MP to back this EDM, or thank them if they have already done so.
Separately, there will be a Westminster Hall debate on the UK arms trade with Israel on Tuesday 12 December at 2:30pm, led by Zarah Sultana. It is crucial that as many MPs as possible attend the debate and oppose the transferring of arms to Israel. The UK should not be complicit in war crimes; it should be halting them and holding perpetrators to account.
Share our new report with your MP to help them understand the UK’s complicity and urge them to support EDM 177.
In solidarity,
Neil Sammonds
War on Want
