Britain has suspended or refused more than 80 export licences linked to equipment that could be used by Israeli occupation forces in Gaza, amid mounting scrutiny of British military support and new restrictions targeting exports that sustain the occupation of Palestinian territory.

The Jewish Chronicle reported that the total includes around 30 licences suspended in September 2024 and more than 50 subsequent applications that were rejected. Britain nevertheless continues to approve exports that meet its licensing criteria.

A British government source disputed the report’s characterization of the figures as an expansion of the arms ban, telling The Times of Israel on Tuesday that the additional refusals concerned new applications assessed under existing Gaza-related restrictions.

Restrictions extend to exports supporting occupation

The government’s September 8 measures introduced a further condition for export approvals: applications for arms and other goods that materially contribute to the unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory will be refused.

Middle East Minister Stephen Doughty described the approach as a “double lock", combining existing conditions concerning violations of international humanitarian law with consideration of the occupation’s unlawfulness.

“They have to be considered both in relation to the existing conditions that we set in relation to international humanitarian law violations but also now we have to consider the unlawfulness of the occupation. So that's a very significant step forward,” Doughty said.

However, a parliamentary answer published on September 16 confirmed that no additional licences had been revoked or suspended since the September 8 announcement. The government said this was largely because licences covering equipment that might support the occupation had already been suspended over their potential use in Gaza.

Source:Websites