UK Official: Sanctions on Israel Resulted in No New Revocations of Weapons Licenses
Was this proof that past measures were effective or did the new moves not go far enough?
Above: British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband at a meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Sept. 23, 2026. Image credit: Angelina Katsanis/Bloomberg/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-government narrative
The latest sanctions did not result in any additional revocation of weapons licenses as any licenses that might materially contribute to the occupation had already been suspended because of Israel's conduct in Gaza. The move was intended as a safety mechanism and shows that the previous sanctions were effective.
Government-critical narrative
The fact that no new licenses were revoked shows that the sanctions had no material impact and did not go nearly far enough. Additionally, despite evidence of British parts being used in Israel's fighter jets, the U.K. government applied an overly strict interpretation of international law, meaning that the relevant parts could still be exported without falling under the purview of the sanctions.
