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Israel sales contravened UK arms policy, say MPs

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, Mar 30, IRNA -- A parliamentary report Tuesday called for a further review of arms exports after confirming that sales approved by the government were “almost certainly” by Israel in its slaughter of over 1,400 Palestinians in Gaza last year.

“We repeat our conclusion that it is regrettable that arms exports to Israel were almost certainly used in Operation Cast Lead,” the Committee on Arms Export Controls said.

“This is in direct contravention to the UK Government’s policy that UK arms exports to Israel should not be used in the occupied territories,” the committee warned in its latest report.

Following Israel’s latest atrocities in Gaza, Foreign Secretary David Miliband said all future applications for arms-related exports to Israel "will be assessed taking into account” that UK equipment was almost certainly used in the massacres.

The equipment included British-supplied components for US F-16 combat aircraft sold to Israel, components for the fire control and radar systems, navigation equipment and engine assemblies for US Apache helicopters.

The committee, made up of members of the foreign affairs, defence and international development committees, called for “broader lessons” to be learned from the review to “ensure that UK arms exports to Israel are not used in the occupied territories in future.”

“We recommend that the Government, in its Response to this Report, set out clearly the longer term lessons learnt post Operation Cast Lead and how they will impact in practice on the issuing of future licences for arms exports to Israel,” it said.

The British government guidelines are that licences for arms sales should not be approved if the export risks contributing to internal oppression, external aggression, or regional tensions.

Minister have also previously sought and obtained assurances from Israel that British military equipment would not be used against the Palestinians in the occupied territories.

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End News / IRNA / News Code 1029416