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Israel 'almost certainly' used UK parts during Gaza slaughter

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, April 22, IRNA -- Foreign Secretary David Miliband has ordered a review of British military exports to Israel after unprecedentedly admitting that UK components were 'almost certainly' used in its latest massacre of more than 1,400 Palestinians in Gaza.

"We are looking at all extant licences to see whether any of these need to be re-considered in light of recent events in Gaza," Miliband said in a written parliamentary statement published Wednesday.

"All future applications will be assessed taking into account the recent conflict," he said. "It is inherent in the consolidated criteria that judgments are in part based on past practice."

The foreign secretary listed equipment used in Operation Cast Lead which almost certainly contained British-supplied components as including F16 combat aeroplanes, Apache attack helicopters, Saar-class corvette naval vessels and armoured personnel carriers.

He also believed that British components may have been included in reconnaissance satellites that were used to provide information to the Israel Defense Force to prepare for the three weeks of attacks but insisted that they would not have played a significant part in the operation itself.

The review comes after the British government has been under sustained pressure from many of its backbench MPs, trade unions, faith groups, human rights organisations and peace campaigners to impose an arms ban on Israel.

But Miliband played down the significance of British military exports to Israel, saying that less than one percent came from the UK, while the US provided 85 percent and the rest came from the EU.

"UK export controls and the consolidated criteria are amongst the strongest and most effective in the world and are the best basis for putting into practice our commitments on arms exports," he said about the government's licensing system.

Criteria in relations to Israel includes not to issue an export licence 'where there is a clear risk that the export might be used for internal repression' or 'would provoke or prolong armed conflicts or aggravate existing tensions or conflicts'.