In recent weeks, Britain has been examining the issue of security exports to Israel due to the war in Gaza. According to the UK laws, security exports must be blocked when there are concerns that weapons originating from Britain are being used for "war crimes."
Israel Hayom has exclusively learned a delegation of lawyers from Britain visited Israel in February to examine the IDF's actions in Gaza. The Guardian, which is hostile to Israel, also reported that Britain has been looking at limiting arms exports to the IDF's planned operation in Rafah.
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This policy shift is being linked to the change in Britain's Foreign Secretary David Cameron's position. While Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is considered pro-Israel, Cameron has taken a consistently different approach to Israel's right to defend itself following Hamas' deadly attack on October 7.
For example, in a meeting Wednesday with Minister Benny Gantz in London, Cameron's confrontational approach toward Israel was evident, as he reportedly reprimanded the Israeli minister and focused the discussion on demanding that Israel ease pressure on Gaza.
Video: Britain to warn Israel's Gantz over famine in Gaza / Credit: Reuters
Additionally, the British government has been demanding that Israel step up the scope and type of aid allowed into Gaza for residents so that it includes means for building shelters and rehabilitating civilian infrastructure in the strip.
If the UK takes concrete steps to limit exports, this would not be the first time that Britain has attempted to restrict Israel's actions through an arms embargo.
Such a step has been taken several times over recent decades, including around Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip. The reason for this is that Britain views Israel as an occupying power in the Gaza Strip and is therefore responsible for the condition of its civilians.
To block the current moves by the British Foreign Office, Israel has been taking pains to demonstrate that it is allowing increasing amounts of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip and is also permitting its airdrop over the territory at the initiative of supportive countries.
Meanwhile, it appears that Israel is not rushing to act in Rafah, even though plans have already been prepared and presented to the Americans. As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said in the past, an operation in Rafah will only take place after the evacuation of civilians from there – but the IDF has not yet begun preparations of that kind, suggesting that an operation in Rafah is not imminent.
The mounting international pressure against such an operation, especially from the Biden administration, as well as from other friendly countries like Britain, puts Israel on another front of struggle aimed at getting the "green light" for action from those countries.
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