Arms export licences for sales to the Israeli Military

Early day motion 138, tabled 27 May 2021 by Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour/Co-operative). Signed by 78 members.

That this House notes with concern the recent granting of and use of extant UK licences for the export to the Israeli military of categories of arms and arms components including military technology and components for aircrafts, helicopters, and drones, as well as grenades, bombs, missiles, armoured vehicles, tanks, ammunition, and small arms; is therefore concerned that Ministers have not disclosed whether UK-made exports were used in the recent bombardment of the Gaza Strip and repression of civilian protests in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory; reminds the Government that criteria 2, 3 and 4, of the consolidated criteria on arms exports precludes licensing where there is a clear risk that items may be used for internal repression or in the commission of serious violations of international humanitarian law; notes the criteria precludes licensing for items which would provoke or prolong armed conflicts or aggravate existing conflicts, and precludes licensing for items when there is a clear risk that they could be used to assert by force a territorial claim; therefore calls for an investigation to determine whether UK-made arms and components have been used in the recent violence and if they are implicated in war crimes under investigation by the International Criminal Court, including settlement building in occupied territories; and calls for a suspension of UK arms sales to Israel until it can be demonstrated, subject to parliamentary scrutiny, that weapons and components imported from the UK are used solely in accordance with the consolidated criteria.

Signatures by party: Labour 29, Scottish National Party 25, Liberal Democrat 9, Independent 4, Plaid Cymru 3, Alba 2, Labour/Co-operative 2, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2, Alliance 1, Green 1.