The possibility that Britain may soon announce a halt to defense export licenses to Israel, as revealed by Ynet and not ruled out in London, is part of the silent and unofficial arms embargo by Western countries in recent months. This includes delays in shipments of raw materials and parts to Israel's defense industries, ultimately used to produce weapons for the IDF.
These silent sanctions come from major manufacturers in countries such as France, leading Israel's defense ministry to seek alternatives in Eastern Europe, South America and Asia. For example, a French manufacturer delayed for months a shipment of raw material for a major operational project for the IDF, which is produced by an Israeli defense industry. The multi-billion-dollar project continues, but at a slower pace which has pushed back its completion date.
Partial slowdowns are also being felt in the development of other combat systems for the IDF. Even the Merkava tank and the Namer APC, produced by a joint directorate of the IDF and the Defense Ministry, rely on 200 different suppliers, some dependent on foreign manufacturers. Consequently, top officials in the Defense Ministry are making frantic efforts to find alternatives, including in countries such as India and Serbia.
On Monday morning, as Israel anticipated the British decision was imminent, officials in Jerusalem noted that Britain is a significant player in defense exports. There is concern that this could be the first step, with other countries possibly following suit in a "domino effect."
Britain been examining the issue of arms export licenses for some time. However, with the recent change in government, Israel believes the decision is close, linked to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling calling on countries not to assist Israel.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, British Prime Minister Kier Starmer
(Photo: AP Photo/David Cliff, Alex Kolomoisky)
A British government spokesperson responded to Ynet's revelation, stating: "The review of Israel's compliance with international humanitarian law is ongoing." British Foreign Secretary David Lammy added: "Our commitment to international law is clear, and we are following the necessary processes. Upon taking office, I instructed officials to conduct a comprehensive review of Israel's compliance with international humanitarian law, and this process is now underway. I will update once the process is complete."
The new Labour government recently announced it would resume funding for UNRWA and withdrew objections aimed at preventing the issuance of arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
In May, ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan sought arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant and three Hamas leaders – Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniyeh. The previous British government, led by Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives, had taken a step warmly welcomed by Israeli leadership by filing a reservation to the prosecutor's request to issue the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant.
Since the reservation was filed in June, the UK has seen a political upheaval – Sunak's Conservative government was defeated in elections, and the left-wing Labour Party returned to power. Recently, it was reported that, due to the change in government, a shift in policy toward Israel and the management of the war in Gaza is expected from London. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesperson confirmed the withdrawal of reservations to the arrest warrants, adding that it is an independent decision of the court.