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The defence secretary has defended the timing of suspending some arms export licences to Israel following criticism from politicians, the Jewish community and Israel.
A total of 30 out of 350 export licences for UK arms to Israel are being suspended, Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced on Monday.
The timing of the announcement has been criticised as it came on the same day funerals were held for six Israelis killed over the weekend by Hamas after being held hostage since October last year.
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Defence Secretary John Healey said the decision was made now because it was the government’s “legal responsibility”.
He told Sky News’ Breakfast With Kay Burley: “This is a government that has a duty to the rule of law, faced with the conflict in Gaza, it’s our legal responsibility and obligation to review export licenses.
“The judgement was whether there is a clear risk that anything we supply from this country could be linked to a serious violation of international humanitarian law.
“And the assessment was that in the case of around 30 components for military equipment, this was the case.”
He said the move is not unprecedented, with Margaret Tatcher suspending arms exports in the 1980s and Gordon Brown doing so in 2009.
In both of those cases, when there was a ceasefire the suspensions were lifted, he added.
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“That’s the bigger argument here,” he said.
“In the end, this conflict, the concerns that people have, will be settled with an immediate ceasefire.”
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