British Foreign Secretary David Cameron faces scrutiny over arms sales to Israel

UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron is under pressure to provide clarity on his stance regarding arms sales to Israel after inquiries from the chair of the UK’s foreign affairs select committee.

Despite concerns from Foreign Office staff about Israel’s actions in Gaza, Cameron supported the continuation of arms sales on December 8.

Later, on December 18, Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch endorsed his view, asserting Israel did not violate international humanitarian law.

On January 9, the foreign affairs select committee questioned Cameron about his decision to not halt arms sales amid worries that Israel may have breached international humanitarian law (IHL) in its operations against Hamas.

Committee chair Alicia Kearns asked Cameron for confirmation of a formal review. He acknowledged his concerns regarding Israel’s behavior but stated, "My job is not to legally judge. I’m not a lawyer."

Cameron didn't confirm whether he received legal advice on Israel’s alleged IHL violations. He explained he acts on given advice and engages with the Israeli government for clarification on specific incidents, which then informs the trade department's arms export decisions.

Documents revealed by the Foreign Office express apprehension over Israel’s conduct. An affidavit submitted to a London court by the Global Legal Action Network for a judicial review into arms sales to Israel disclosed that following a Ministry of Defense review in November, a "change in circumstances review" was initiated.

The Foreign Office documents highlighted the difficulty in assessing Israel's adherence to IHL, citing the conflict's severity and civilian impact.

The review identified substantial policy risks due to insufficient information to determine Israel's compliance with IHL.

Even after seeking assurances from the Israeli Embassy, the department presented Cameron with the option to suspend or proceed with arms sales on December 8, basing the decision on whether there was a credible risk of IHL violations.

On December 12, satisfied with evidence of Israel's commitment to IHL, Cameron recommended maintaining the arms trade to the secretary of state for business and trade.