LONDON: A Jewish member of the UK’s House of Lords has backed Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s decision to partially suspend Britain’s arms deal with Israel, it was reported on Monday.
Alexander Charles Carlile, known as Baron Carlile of Berriew, wrote in The Independent newspaper that the prime minister’s decision last week showed “courage and conviction” despite the backlash it has received since.
Carlile condemned those who criticized the decision, including chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and slammed the previous Conservative government for its handling of the issue following legal advice it received about the potential for the weapons being used to break international law.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced last Monday that Britain would suspend 30 of its 350 arms export licenses with Israel due to a risk that such equipment could be used to commit serious violations of international humanitarian law amid its war against Hamas in Gaza.
Carlile, who sits on a cross-party committee for Israel, claimed that the previous Foreign Secretary David Cameron received the same legal advice as that which prompted the Starmer government to partially suspend sales, but that he chose not to act upon it.
“The legal advice relied upon by Sir Keir Starmer and David Lammy has long been known to senior UK Ministers. Lord Cameron as foreign secretary is said by officials to have known about the advice since February,” he wrote.
“Sitting on clear legal advice for more than a very short time cannot be justified. Starmer has shown courage and a conviction that the right thing must be done — however difficult it is,” he added.
This was denied by a source close to Cameron, who said that in making several decisions on the issue, “on each occasion maintaining existing licenses was consistent with legal advice.”
Carlile also outlined how allies of the UK had taken steps to limit or cease arms sales to Israel based on that same legal advice, and that those who criticized last week’s decision were guilty of “ignorance” on the matter.
“Surprisingly, the critics have demonstrated astonishing ignorance of the position taken on the same Israel armaments issue by valued international allies — or, possibly, found it inconvenient to reference international decisions,” he wrote.
“Italy decided in January 2024 to enter into no new contracts to send armaments to Israel. The Dutch courts have declared illegal all direct exports of military materiel to Israel. The Belgian authorities have restricted such exports, and have called for an EU-wide ban.
“In March, Canada halted future arms sales to Israel. Exactly the same conclusions on the law have been reached in those countries.
“It is crucial that the Rule of Law — which prevents the abuse of state power and applies to all — is not shouted down in an unruly way by people who are acting on prejudice, dressed up as principle.
“It is insidious that democracy, brought about by parliamentarians doing exactly what legal advice dictates, should be hijacked by populist sloganeering — especially when that comes from former Prime Ministers like Boris Johnson, who should know better,” he added.
Carlile was also highly critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he accused, alongside leaders of Hamas, of undermining the peace process in Gaza.
“This issue has highlighted a broader problem for those of us in public life who do not respect Netanyahu. He bears a long and, in parts, unattractive political history,” Carlile wrote.
“His stubborn resistance in recent months to sound advice given by IDF commanders, by the families of hostages who remain unaccounted for, and by senior international figures including the president and vice-president of the USA, to many of us signifies a person no longer fit for high office.
“Netanyahu and Hamas leaders alike have repeatedly undermined attempts at mediation determinedly and diligently pursued by Qatar, whose Emir and Prime Minister merit international praise.”
