UK Chief Rabbi criticizes suspension of arms sales to Israel: Will encourage our enemies

Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, the Chief Rabbi of Britain, on Monday criticized the British government’s decision to suspend some of its arms sales to Israel.

“It beggars belief that the British government, a close strategic ally of Israel, has announced a partial suspension of arms licenses, at a time when Israel is fighting a war for its very survival on seven fronts forced upon it on the 7th October, and at the very moment when six hostages murdered in cold blood by cruel terrorists were being buried by their families,” Rabbi Mirvis wrote on social media site X.

“As Israel faces down the threat of Iran and its proxies, not just to its own people, but to all of us in the democratic west; this announcement feeds the falsehood that Israel is in breach of International Humanitarian Law, when in fact it is going to extraordinary lengths to uphold it. Sadly, this announcement will serve to encourage our shared enemies. It will not help to secure the release of the remaining 101 hostages, nor contribute to the peaceful future we wish and pray for, for all people in the region and beyond,” he added.

“Britain and Israel have so much to gain by standing together against our common enemies for the sake of a safer world. Surely that must be the way forward,” said Rabbi Mirvis.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced earlier on Monday that the UK would be suspending some of its arms sales to Israel.

About 30 out of 350 arms sales licenses will be affected by the move, which comes less than two days after six Israeli hostages were found murdered by their Hamas captors in a tunnel underneath Rafah.

"Facing a conflict such as this, it is this government's legal duty to review Britain's export licenses," Lammy said. "This is not a blanket ban, this is not an arms embargo."

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said, “Deeply disheartened to learn of the sanctions placed by the U.K. Government on export licenses to Israel’s defense establishment. This comes at a time when we fight a war on 7 different fronts - a war that was launched by a savage terrorist organization, unprovoked. At a time when we mourn 6 hostages who were executed in cold blood by Hamas inside tunnels in Gaza. At a time when we fight to bring 101 hostages home."

"I stand by our troops and security agencies working with immense courage, professionalism and moral values. We remain committed to defending the State of Israel and her people,” Gallant added.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in response, "Israel is disappointed by the British government’s recent series of decisions, including the latest decision regarding security exports to Israel, the British Government’s decision to withdraw its request to submit an amicus brief to the ICC, and its stance on UNRWA, as well as the UK’s recent conduct and statements in the UN Security Council."

"Israel is a law-abiding state that operates in accordance with international law and has an independent and respected judicial system - we expect friendly countries, such as the UK, to recognize this all year-round, especially just days after Hamas terrorists executed six Israeli hostages, during intense negotiations for the release of the hostages and for a ceasefire, and in light of the recent threats by the Iranian regime to attack the State of Israel," Katz said.

He continued, "A step like the one taken by the UK now sends a very problematic message to the Hamas terrorist organization and its backers in Iran."

"We hope that the deep friendship between the UK and Israel, which has been maintained throughout all the years since the founding of the State of Israel, will continue in the future," Katz concluded.

Lammy’s predecessor, David Cameron, had ruled out banning arms sales to Israel, saying that doing so would not be a solution and would only make Hamas stronger.