Record value of British weapons sent to Israel in June, data shows

The value of UK arms sales to Israel reached a record high in June despite rules restricting the export of weapons that could be used in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Figures from the Israeli tax authority analysed by FactCheck show that around £400,000 worth of munitions were shipped to Israel in June, the highest amount in a single month since records began in January 2022.

The UK government, in September 2024, suspended more than two dozen export licences to Israel for arms that it said could be used by the Israeli military in Gaza.

The customs figures do not detail exactly which items were imported, but were listed under a category that includes bombs, grenades, torpedoes, missiles and mines.

They also do not identify the end user of the items or whether they were re-exported.

Significant shipments were also recorded in August, when more than £150,000 of arms were exported to Israel, including more than 100,000 bullets.

This is the second-largest monthly value on record.

In a statement, the government reiterated that it does not ship weapons to Israel that could be used in Gaza or the occupied West Bank and said that the figures do not indicate a breach of policy.

"Reporting based on Israeli customs or tax data does not differentiate between live munitions and training equipment or sporting ammunition for civilian use, or between items staying in Israel or intended for re-export," the Department for Business told The New Arab.

It continued: "We take our arms control system very seriously and have taken every possible measure to ensure no licences are given to UK military exports that could be used by the [Israeli forces] in Gaza."

The report comes just days after UN experts declared Israel to be committing genocide in Gaza.

The Commission of Inquiry urged other countries to "employ all means reasonably available to them to prevent the commission of genocide in the Gaza Strip.

The British government has declined to back the UN finding and insisted that determining genocide is a matter for the international courts.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has come under criticism by pro-Palestinian organisations, legal experts and members of his own party for continuing to export component parts for F-35 jets used by the Israeli air force.