UK politics

Sir Keir Starmer has found himself at the centre of an international storm over his government’s decision to restrict arms sales to Israel just as mourners were burying six hostages killed in Gaza.

The move to halt 30 of the 350 arms export licences was condemned by Benjamin Netanyahu as “shameful”, while the White House has made it clear it will not be following Britain’s lead.

Joe Biden’s national security communications adviser, John Kirby, said: “Every nation can speak for themselves, on how and to what degree that they support Israel. We’re going to continue to do what we have to do to support Israel’s defensive capabilities.”

The issue has also blown up in the Tory leadership contest, with candidates lining up to attack foreign secretary David Lammy’s announcement.

Even Boris Johnson got involved, tweeting: “Why are Lammy and Starmer abandoning Israel? Do they want Hamas to win?”

But while critics on the right attacked the decision, Labour MPs and charities questioned whether the government has gone far enough, particularly after defence secretary John Healey conceded it would have little effect.

Oliver Feeley-Sprague, military, security and police programme director at Amnesty International UK, said: “Suspending a handful of licences while continuing to allow UK components to be fitted into F-35 fighter jets used by the Israeli military in Gaza makes a nonsense of ministers’ claims to be concerned about Israel’s well-documented breaches of international humanitarian law.

“A supposedly ‘robust’ arms control system shouldn’t be leaving open huge loopholes that will almost certainly fuel further Israeli war crimes in Gaza.”

Mr Kirby acknowledged that Downing Street had given the White House “a heads-up” over the decision, but declined to support the move. “We’ll let other nations decide for themselves if they’re going to support Israel and to what degree that’s their decision,” he said. “That’s what sovereignty is all about.”

Mr Netanyahu’s office said: “Britain’s misguided decision will only embolden Hamas.”

“This shameful decision will not change Israel’s determination to defeat Hamas, a genocidal terrorist organization that savagely murdered 1,200 people on 7 October, including 14 British citizens,” it said. “Hamas is still holding over 100 hostages, including five British citizens.”

There was also fury from former foreign secretary James Cleverly and former security minister Tom Tugendhat.

Mr Cleverly said Mr Lammy has “damaged two of our most important relationships at a crucial time – and it won’t have the impact he wants”.

Answering questions at his leadership campaign launch, a visibly angry Mr Tugendhat said: “Let us be clear what the Labour government has done. On the day that the Israeli government discovered the bodies of more hostages, on the day they had to share that news of grief and trauma with families … the British government decided that it was the right day to stand against Israel’s right to defend itself.

“That is remarkable. And it will be a decision that has been heard not just in Washington and Tel Aviv but around the world. If we are not willing to stand by our allies when they are literally discovering the bodies of their murdered citizens what is the point of an alliance?”

The decision has severely strained Britain’s relationship with Tel Aviv.

Mr Healey informed his counterpart, Yoav Gallant, ahead of Monday’s announcement. He told Times Radio that Mr Gallant “found the call unwelcome”.

“That’s not surprising, but sometimes your closest friends are the ones that need to tell the hardest truths,” he said.

Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis said the decision “beggars belief” while Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said the decision sent a terrible message” in Israel’s “hour of need”.

The list of suspended items includes important components which go into military aircraft, including F-16 jets and drones, as well as naval systems and targeting equipment.

Mr Healey said the change “will not have a material impact on Israel’s security”.

Israel’s foreign minister, Israel Katz, said it was the latest in a series of decisions which had raised concern in Tel Aviv, including the restoration of UK funding for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, and the decision not to challenge the International Criminal Court’s application for an arrest warrant against Mr Netanyahu.

Summary papers published by the government showed the assessment Mr Lammy relied upon for his decision found that “Israel has not fulfilled its duty as Occupying Power to ensure – to the fullest extent of the means available to it – those supplies essential to the survival of the population of Gaza,” adding that the level of humanitarian aid in Gaza “remains insufficient”.

However, the government suggested it had not been possible to come to a “determinative judgement” on “allegations regarding Israel’s conduct of hostilities”, partly because of the “opaque and contested information environment in Gaza”.