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A Rubicon has been crossed with this embargo

August 14, 2014 13:19

By

Alex Brummer,

Alex Brummer

1 min read

ANALYSIS
Critics of Israel's policy in Gaza have scored a significant victory with the decision to block a dozen licences to British companies that sell weapons parts to the IDF. The £42 million sum involved is trifling but the symbolism will be exploited.

What is deeply disturbing are misleading sums bandied about at Westminster and in parts of the media that have suggested Israel has a military relationship that dwarfs others in the region, with licences worth £7 billion.

The £7 billion figure is nonsense. It is a number that almost exceeds the whole of Israel's domestic budget and is far larger than all of the fast expanding £3.2 billion two-way commerce between the UK and Israel.

Britain's arms exports to Israel are a tiny fraction of those going to the rest of the Middle East. Saudi Arabia is currently the UK's biggest arms customer, through the supply of Typhoon Eurofighter jets valued at £4.4 billion. It is also committed to spending £1.6 billion on the purchase of Hawk trainer jets.