LONDON: Former UK Foreign Minister David Cameron was aware that Britain risked involvement in Israeli war crimes but refused to suspend arms transfers to the country, Western media reported on Wednesday.
A former Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office adviser said Cameron, was advised by Foreign Office officials in London and Israel that Tel Aviv was violating international humanitarian law.
The report follows news that the UK’s new government has banned 30 of about 350 weapons export licenses to Israel. The government took the decision based on a memorandum released on Monday warning that British weapons may have been used by Israel to violate international law.
According to the report, the same advice was given to the previous UK government in February. The report citing a source from the Commonwealth and Development Office said it has to be considered how many lives might have been saved if the arms export licenses had been stopped then and not in September.
The FCDO source said Israel highlights vital lessons at the international level for arms companies and countries which allow export licenses as part of trade deals.
“The reality is that none of these licenses are granted in isolation of other business and political interests, and are enmeshed with other forms of trade technology exchanges and security equity.”
The report added the Foreign Office does not seem very cohesive, with disputes between humanitarian, legal and political teams.
A member of the previous Conservative government told The Guardian that though the legal advice was given to the previous foreign minister but it never explicitly said that ministers must suspend arms sales to Israel.
