What is the point of David Lammy’s partial arms embargo on Israel?

The government has suspended 30 (out of around 350) arms export licences to Israel. The Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, acknowledged that the ban will affect the sale of ‘important components that go into military aircraft, including fighter aircraft, helicopters and drones, as well as items that facilitate ground targeting.’ 

Lammy’s decision to suspend these arms exports licences under the Export Control Act 2002 did not come out of the blue and is not a huge surprise. During parliament’s summer recess, there were reports that Lammy might stop the sale of ‘offensive’ arms to Israel. On the day he became Foreign Secretary in July, Lammy ordered a review of arms exports.

When announcing the latest decision to parliament yesterday afternoon, Lammy was keen to stress that the suspension did not amount to an arms embargo. He contrasted it with more stringent restrictions imposed by Margaret Thatcher during the conflict in Lebanon in the 1980s.