UK Ban On Arms Sales To Israel Could Signal "Enough Is Enough", Former Senior Diplomat Says

A former UK ambassador to the Middle East has said that a ban on arms sales to Israel would be “symbolic” rather than effective in cutting off Israel's weapons supply, but could “give cover” for the US to implement their own sales ban.

The UK government is facing growing calls to end British arms sales to Israel, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary David Cameron believed to be discussing the move following the killing of seven aid workers, including three British nationals, in Gaza last week. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claim the air strikes that killed the men were a mistake, as operators mistook an aid worker for a gunman, and have now fired two senior officers involved in the incident.

With US President Joe Biden now joining calls for an “immediate ceasefire” between Israel and Hamas, there are increasing signs that the West is toughening its stance on Israel as the death toll of civilians in Gaza continues to climb. 

Sir William Patey was the former British Ambassador to multiple Middle East countries including Afghanistan (2010-2012), Saudi Arabia (2007-2010), Iraq (2005-2006) and Sudan (2002-2005), as well as Head of the Middle East Department at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 1999-2002. He recently became co-chair of the Labour Middle East Council (LMEC), launched in January to "turn a new page" on relations between a potential future Labour government and countries across the Middle East. 

The former diplomat told PoliticsHome that an arms sale ban would be “more symbolic than effective” at hindering Israel’s ability to continue the conflict, but that it would be an important move to put further pressure on the US to do the same. The US has previously paused arms sales to Israel during