A recent study has found that the United Kingdom continued to send military items to Israel, even after the government announced a ban on certain arms exports in September 2024.
Thousands of Military Items Sent After Ban
This has caused concern and confusion, especially because the UK government had publicly said it was stopping the supply of weapons that could be used in attacks on Gaza.
The study was carried out by the Palestinian Youth Movement, Progressive International, and Workers for a Free Palestine. These groups studied data from the Israeli tax authority, which shows details about what Israel has been importing. This data shows that since October 2023, the United Kingdom has shipped military supplies to Israel in at least 14 different shipments. One of these supplies was shipped to the port of Haifa by sea, and thirteen were transported by air to Ben Gurion Airport. The sea shipment alone reportedly contained 160,000 items.
The United Kingdom government had earlier suspended 29 export licences for military items that could be used offensively in Gaza. However, 200 licences were left in place, with the government saying that these remaining licences only covered equipment for defensive use, like helmets and goggles. But this new research suggests that weapons like bombs, missiles, and even parts for tanks were included in what was actually shipped.
From September 2024 to March 2025, Israel received over 8,600 items from the United Kingdom listed under a customs code that includes bombs, grenades, missiles, and similar weapons of war. In addition, 146 items listed under a separate code for tanks and armoured fighting vehicles were also sent after the export ban was put in place. Together, the value of these shipments from the United Kingdom was just over £500,000.
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Questions Raised About F-35 Jet Parts
One of the most controversial issues is whether the United Kingdom continued to ship parts for F-35 fighter planes directly to Israel. These jets are made by the U.S. company Lockheed Martin, and the United Kingdom is part of the international supply chain that builds them. To safeguard NATO interests and national security, the UK government had stated that it would only ship F-35 components to the United States and not directly to Israel.
However, the report points out that the number of aircraft parts being sent from the UK to Israel has not decreased since the ban. It is still unclear if these parts are for military use or for civilian aircraft, but the government has not provided clear answers. This raises doubts about whether the government followed its own rules.
The Foreign Office has not published details about what is included in the licences that were not suspended. This lack of transparency makes it hard to know if the UK really did stop sending items that could be used in war.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy had told Parliament that the remaining licences were only for items of a defensive nature. He mentioned things like helmets and goggles. But if the new report is accurate, this statement could be misleading, and some politicians are calling for an investigation.
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Strong Reactions and Political Pressure
Several United Kingdom politicians have reacted strongly to the findings of this report. John McDonnell, former Labour Shadow Chancellor, said that if the Foreign Secretary gave wrong information to Parliament, it could be a serious issue. He added that if the United Kingdom has been secretly supplying arms to Israel, the government must come clean and stop all arms sales immediately.
He also warned that British-made weapons could be used in Israel’s current operations in Gaza, which include plans to take over the Gaza Strip. These operations have been described by critics as violent and dangerous for civilians.
MP Zarah Sultana, who has been vocal in her opposition to arms sales to Israel, said the report shows the United Kingdom government has not been honest. She said the government claimed it was sending harmless items, but was actually sending weapons and ammunition. Sultana has also faced punishment from her party for voting against government policy.
A spokesperson from the Foreign Office responded by saying that the United Kingdom had suspended any licences that might be used to break international law in Gaza. Additionally, they stated that the majority of the remaining licenses are not for Israel’s military but rather for civilian use or reexport. The administration claims that the F-35 program is the sole obvious exception due to its significance for both world security and NATO.
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However, the report challenges this explanation and claims that the government’s rules have allowed a loophole for continuing arms sales. The UK currently has no way to track how exported items are used once they arrive in Israel, which adds to the concern.
The Israeli import data used in the report includes information like the type of goods imported, their value, and the method of transport. But it does not include the names of the companies involved, either in the UK or Israel.
This new information has brought attention back to the United Kingdom’s role in international arms sales and whether it is following its own policies when it comes to conflict zones like Gaza. While the government maintains that it is acting lawfully, the report has raised serious questions that are not yet fully answered.