THE UK Government has shown a “total disregard” for the loss of life in Gaza by refusing to answer whether British-made weapons parts have been used by Israel since it breached the ceasefire in March, Scottish Green leader Patrick Harvie has said.
It comes after a slew of written answers filed at Westminster on the day it went into Easter recess, in which Labour ministers declined to address the F-35 fighter jet exports they have authorised.
Israel has been documented as using F-35s in its bombing campaign of Gaza – which is widely regarded to have breached international law – including in an attack on a “safe zone” in Khan Younis in July 2024.
However, when Labour suspended 30 of around 350 weapons export licences to Israel last September amid concerns that they would be used to break international law, F-35 parts were specifically excluded.
According to Action on Armed Violence, approximately 15% of each F-35 aircraft, including those used by Israel, is made up of components produced by British companies.
But asked to confirm if any UK-made weapons parts had been used by Israel since it resumed bombings of Gaza – breaching the ceasefire and killing more than 400 people as it did so on March 18 – Labour ministers declined to respond.
Instead, Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer only restated what happened last year.
“The UK's robust export licensing criteria states that the Government will not issue export licences if there is a clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
“In September 2024, following an IHL review, we have suspended certain export licences to Israel where we have assessed there is a clear risk that they might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of IHL,” he said.
Scottish Green co-leader Harvie hit out at the Labour minister’s statement, which was issued in an identical form to a separate question about engaging with Israeli ministers about UK-made weapons.
"The UK Government hasn't been a bystander in the assault on Gaza, it has been an active participant,” the Green MSP said.
"It has armed, supported and provided political cover for Israeli forces while they have inflicted some of the worst war crimes of this century. The fact that UK arms and components have been part of the attacks is utterly shameful.
"The human cost for people in Gaza has been horrific and it is getting worse. After 18 months of bombing and collective punishment, there must be an end to the killing.
"Transparency is the very least that is needed. The fact that government ministers can't even bring themselves to answer some of the most basic questions shows a total disregard for the terrible damage that has been done and the lives that have been lost."
Jamie Livingstone, the head of Oxfam Scotland, also criticised the Labour administration, telling The National: “The UK Government’s refusal to suspend all arms sales to Israel makes it an active ally to atrocities in Gaza.
“It should also suspend the supply of UK-manufactured F-35 parts into the global programme until their onwards transfer to Israel is prohibited.”
However, Livingstone said that Scotland was “not off the hook”.
“Scottish Ministers have committed to reviewing the checks and balances on this funding – this must be swift, robust, and transparent.”
As The Sunday National reported last weekend, Amnesty International has raised concerns about Scottish Enterprise, a government agency, giving funding to arms firms which supply Israel.
The Scottish Government has committed to a review of funding criteria – but insisted that no cash has ever been provided to manufacture arms. Instead, it is used to train the apprentices who will manufacture arms.
Israeli has killed more than 62,000 Palestinians since the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023 and is credibly accused of committing genocide in Gaza.
The country, whose prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court, has also breached international law with its settlements of the Palestinian West Bank – which are only escalating.
Netanyahu visited US president Donald Trump in the White House earlier this week, where the pair openly spoke about plans for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza – a clear war crime.
Labour Friends of Israel, which counts some top Labour ministers among its supporters, last week called the ICC warrant against Netanyahu “dubious”. The Labour Government remained silent.
