UK Foreign Secretary, Lord David Cameron has said Britain will not join the US to suspend arm supply to Israel in its onslaught against Hamas, saying doing so would strengthen the Hamas militant group.
Lord Cameron said while he would not support a major ground offensive in the Gazan city of Rafah, suspending the shipment of weapons to Israel will not be a “wise path”.
Making appearance on Sunday morning show of Laura Kuenssberg of the BBC, Lord Cameron also said that it would be “extremely dangerous” for Israel to attempt a major offensive in Rafah.
Israel has urged residents in more areas of Gaza’s southern-most city to evacuate in a further sign its military is preparing for a ground incursion.
Heritage Times HT recalls that the US had threatened to suspend the supply of offensive weapons to Israel if it carries out an attack on Rafah.
Asked whether Britain would follow in America’s footsteps, Lord Cameron argued the two nations are “in a totally different situation”.
He added: “The United States is a massive, bulk, state supplier of weapons to Israel, including 1,000lb bombs and all the rest of it.
“The UK provides less than 1 per cent of Israel’s weapons and it’s not a state supplier. We have a licensing system and those licences can be closed if it’s judged there’s a serious risk of a serious international human rights violation.”
The Foreign Secretary said he was pushed to declare an immediate arms embargo a few months ago, “and the very next thing that happened just a few days later, was a massive Iranian attack on Israel”.
“So I don’t think it would have been a wise path, and I still don’t think it would be a wise path,” he said, adding it would “strengthen Hamas”.
Lord Cameron also said Israel must “do better on” at allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza.
“I’ve said many times that I’m not content with the action Israel has taken over humanitarian aid,” he said, adding there are “some signs” of improvement, “but not fast enough”.
He branded Hamas “callous” and “inhuman” over a video showing British-Israeli hostage Nadav Popplewell, who the militants said had died in Gaza.
