Campaign
Against Arms Trade says failure by Britain to freeze export licences for
military equipment was unlawful
The Guardian, Richard Norton-Taylor, Monday 6 October 2014
The government has been taken to court by campaigners who say it failed to suspend or revoke export licences approving the sale of military equipment to Israel.
An Israeli army drone aircraft. Photograph: Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images |
The government has been taken to court by campaigners who say it failed to suspend or revoke export licences approving the sale of military equipment to Israel.
The law
firm Leigh Day, representing the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), has
written to the business department saying the failure by Britain to freeze the
licences was unlawful since there was a risk the equipment would be deployed in
Gaza.
Since 2010
the UK government has licensed £42m worth of military exports to Israel,
including targeting systems and components for drones.
Andrew
Smith, of CAAT, said: “The UK government’s response to the bombardment of Gaza
was unacceptable. Vince Cable [the business secretary] himself oversaw a review
that identified 12 licences for arms that he accepted were likely to have been
used in Gaza.
“Cable
refused even to suspend them at the time, saying that he would only do so if
the violence continued. The violence continued, more people died, and yet he
failed to follow through on his word.”
Rosa
Curling, of Leigh Day, said: “The decision by BIS [the Department for Business,
Innovation and Skills] not to suspend or revoke the 12 existing licences is
unlawful. The review that was conducted by the department was flawed as it
envisaged considering whether weapons have been used at the point at which
‘significant hostilities’ resume. This is too late.
“The
licensing criteria are very clear – that licences should be revoked if there is
a clear risk that equipment might be used in violation of international
humanitarian law or internal repression. This must be assessed at the time the
licensing decision is made. The government must now look at this with urgency
and comply with the law on arms export to ensure that UK arms are not
responsible for breaches of international law.”
The
business department had no immediate comment. The government has said it has
one of the world’s strictest arms export control systems.
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