Government challenged over military exports to Israel

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/06/government-military-export-licences-israel

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The government has been taken to court by campaigners who say it failed to suspend or revoke export licences approving the sale of military equipment to Israel.

The law firm Leigh Day, representing the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), has written to the business department saying the failure by Britain to freeze the licences was unlawful since there was a risk the equipment would be deployed in Gaza.

Since 2010 the UK government has licensed £42m worth of military exports to Israel, including targeting systems and components for drones.

Andrew Smith, of CAAT, said: “The UK government’s response to the bombardment of Gaza was unacceptable. Vince Cable [the business secretary] himself oversaw a review that identified 12 licences for arms that he accepted were likely to have been used in Gaza.

“Cable refused even to suspend them at the time, saying that he would only do so if the violence continued. The violence continued, more people died, and yet he failed to follow through on his word.”

Rosa Curling, of Leigh Day, said: “The decision by BIS [the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills] not to suspend or revoke the 12 existing licences is unlawful. The review that was conducted by the department was flawed as it envisaged considering whether weapons have been used at the point at which ‘significant hostilities’ resume. This is too late.

“The licensing criteria are very clear – that licences should be revoked if there is a clear risk that equipment might be used in violation of international humanitarian law or internal repression. This must be assessed at the time the licensing decision is made. The government must now look at this with urgency and comply with the law on arms export to ensure that UK arms are not responsible for breaches of international law.”

The business department had no immediate comment. The government has said it has one of the world’s strictest arms export control systems.