Britain will immediately suspend 30 of its 350 arms export licences with Israel because there is a risk such equipment might be used to commit serious violations of international humanitarian law, foreign minister David Lammy said on Monday.

While the measure is symbolic, given that British exports account for just 1% of Israeli arms imports, it is a slap in the face for Israel from a staunch ally.

The post UK suspends some licenses of arms sales to Israel, but denies it amounts to an embargo appeared first on The Times of Israel.

Lammy clarified that it is not a complete ban on arms exports to Israel and that it continues to support Israel's right to self-defence, as per Al Jazeera

British exports amount to less than 1 percent of the total arms Israel receives, and Lammy told parliament the suspension would not have a material impact on Israel’s security. Among the items that will come under the suspension will be components for military aircraft, including fighter jets, helicopters and drones.

The 30 suspended licenses — out of around 350 — cover components used in F-16 fighter aircraft, helicopters, drones and naval systems, as well as items that facilitate ground targeting, Lammy told the House of Commons on Monday.

The move marks a shift for the United Kingdom and came as part of the new Labour government’s review of Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law.

The U.K. government says it's suspending exports of some weapons to Israel because they could be used to break international law

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the UK will be suspending 30 out of 350 arms export licences to Israel. The affected equipment includes parts for fighter jets, helicopters and drones. Mr Lammy said the UK continued to support Israel's right to defend itself,