• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Second UK base used to ferry US bombs to Israel

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, Aug 1, IRNA
UK-Israel-US Bombs
Britain's top air force base is now used for controversial US arms shipments to fuel Israel's continuing bombardments of Lebanon and Gaza, according to peace campaigners.

A large cargo plane reportedly bearing Hebrew markings was seen by an activist at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, west of London, the veteran Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament said.

On Monday, peace campaigners moved their protests to American airbase at Mildenhall, eastern England, after it was found that the US have switched refueling stops for its bomb-carrying flight for Israeli from Prestwick airport in Scotland.

Anti-war protests were arranged at Prestwick over the weekend after reports that two more US flights were scheduled to stopover at the airport.

According to BBC Newsnight, a total of six aircraft carrying US military supplies for Israel have passed through UK airports. The program also named Brize Norton, described as the nerve center of the UK's military air transport, as hosting one of the US flights.

Newsnight suggested that English bases were being used as a result of a cabinet row between Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexandre and Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett because of Scotland becoming embroiled in the controversial arms shipments.

The use of British facilities for refuelling and crew rests has provoked outrage, with one Muslim Labor MP criticizing the government for proving it is 'biased' towards Israel.

"We are not honest brokers any more and our policy towards Lebanon is biased and I think we have severely damaged our reputation in the international community," Mohammed Sarwar told Newsnight.

Four parliamentary committees are also due to sharply criticize the government for turning a blind eye to the use of British equipment in Israeli aircraft and helicopters used to bomb Lebanon and Gaza in apparent breach of its own guidelines on arms exports.

The Quadripartite Committee, made up of members of the Defense, Foreign Affairs, International Development and Trade and Industry committing, is to highlight UK components in US Apache helicopters and F16 bombers used by Israel, the Guardian reported.

Labor member Richard Burden said that the government should proactively be taking steps to find out if British companies are used in Israel's bombing campaigns after Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells admitted no representations had been made.

2220/345/2322/1412