The United Kingdom will not impose an arms embargo on Israel, despite the interruption of humanitarian aid to Gaza, which the British Foreign Secretary described as a "violation of international law", reports DPA, citing Pat McFadden on intergovernmental relations, BTA reports.
McFadden said that instead of an arms embargo, Britain would use "all its diplomatic influence" to restore a ceasefire after hospital officials reported that hundreds of Palestinians had been killed in overnight strikes.
The surprise bombings early on Monday broke a ceasefire in place since January and threatened a resumption of the 17-month-old war.
Israel ordered the strikes after Hamas rejected its demands for changes to the terms of the ceasefire. Israel has also cut off aid to two million Palestinians in Gaza in a bid to pressure Hamas to act. to accept the new terms.
McFadden said Foreign Secretary David Lammy spoke for the entire British cabinet when he told the House of Commons that the aid blockade was a “violation of international law“.
“We are not imposing an arms embargo. We trade arms with Israel and you know that will not lead to an embargo,“ said McFadden, a key figure in the current government.
“But we have said very publicly what we think about this idea of collective punishment. We do not want that to happen,“ he added.