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cailianshe news, september 3 (editor: zhao hao)on monday (september 2nd) local time, british foreign secretary david lammy said that the country will immediately suspend the export of about 30 weapons to israel due to concerns that they would be used in violations of international law.

lamy told mps in the house of commons that the government would immediately block export licences for about 30 arms products, including parts for military aircraft such as fighter jets, helicopters and drones, as well as items to support ground targeting.

he explained that the british government's review found that israel may have violated international humanitarian law, "and the assessments i received forced me to draw conclusions." some military items exported to israel clearly pose a risk of being used to commit serious violations of international humanitarian law.

source: uk government website

at present, the uk has issued about 350 arms export licenses to israel, and new license applications will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. lamy stressed that the latest move has not changed the uk's strong support for israel's security and will continue to support israel's right to self-defense in accordance with international law.

in response, israeli defense minister yoav galant said he was deeply frustrated by the british government's decision. galant wrote in a statement, "six hostages were brutally executed by hamas. at this time, we are working hard to bring 101 hostages home."

media analysis believes that although britain is not a major arms exporter to israel compared to the united states and germany - british weapons account for only about 1% of israel's imports - this decision will deal a major diplomatic blow to israel.

for the uk, the decision marks a further shift in the new labour government's approach to the israeli-palestinian conflict, following lamy's announcement in july that britain would resume funding the united nations relief and works agency for palestine refugees in the near east (unrwa).

that month, a spokesman for british prime minister starmer said the british government would abandon plans to interfere with the international criminal court's arrest warrants against israeli prime minister netanyahu, israeli defense minister galant, and three hamas leaders.

on the other hand, the uk's decision also marks a significant escalation in the western allies' efforts to "put pressure on israel." since the outbreak of the israeli-palestinian conflict, the uk is the first major western ally to partially suspend arms sales to israel.

last month, the us government approved a plan to sell about $20 billion worth of arms to israel. a us research institute released a report criticizing that if the biden administration really cares about the lives of palestinians, it can stop its atrocities by refusing to provide israel with the tools to commit violence.

kamala harris, the us vice president and democratic presidential candidate, said that if she is elected as the us president, she will not change the policy of providing weapons to israel. but she also stressed that "now is the time to reach a ceasefire and hostage exchange agreement to end this war."

according to israeli officials, hamas' october 7 attack on israel killed 1,200 people and took another 250 hostages. palestinian officials say israel's retaliatory actions in gaza have killed more than 40,000 people.