UK’s arms exports to Israel soar under Labour government

Reports indicate that the UK’s Labour government authorized approximately $160 million in arms exports to the Zionist regime between October and December 2024.

This amount exceeds the total authorized exports under the Conservative government (previous administration) during its entire tenure from 2020 to 2023. The data, derived from strategic export licensing records, reflect an unprecedented acceleration in the UK’s military support for the Zionist regime amid its ongoing and intensified attacks on Gaza.

In contrast, the Conservative government authorized around $144 million in arms sales to the Zionist regime over four years, with annual totals of approximately $39 million in 2020, $30 million in 2021, $52 million in 2022, and $23 million in 2023.

These findings, compiled by the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), have sparked strong condemnation from human rights advocates and civil society groups.

Emily Apple, CAAT’s media coordinator, stated: “It is this Labour government that is aiding and abetting Israel’s genocide in Gaza. It is shameful that Keir Starmer’s government, instead of imposing a complete and bilateral arms embargo, has drastically increased the amount of military equipment sent from the UK to Israel.”

Analysis of trade data reveals that UK companies have exported items, including ammunition, to the occupied territories since the suspension of key arms export licenses to the Zionist regime in September 2024.

According to The Guardian, the findings from the analysis of UK trade data raise questions about the direct sale of F-35 components to the Zionist regime, an action that violated the UK’s commitment to supply these components to the American manufacturer Lockheed Martin. This commitment was intended to ensure no disruption to the global supply chain for the fighter jet, which the UK government deemed essential for national security and NATO.

The UK’s inconsistency regarding arms exports to the occupied territories has placed London in a precarious position.

The investigation utilized import data from the Zionist regime’s tax authority to uncover what the continuation of 200 arms export licenses to the occupied territories permitted, covering the first seven months of the Labour Party’s announced ban until March.