After two months of inaction, Keir Starmer’s Labour government has suspended thirty arms licenses to Israel, as it continues its genocidal war on the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. This decision is insufficient to end Britain’s complicity and once again illustrates that this government is not serious in its commitments to pursue a foreign policy governed by international law.

In today’s announcement, David Lammy, while admitting that he is committed to Zionism, the settler colonial ideology that has led to the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians for nearly a century, said that he had no option but to suspend thirty licenses for arms sales to Israel. Meanwhile, 320 other licenses remain in effect, including those for F-35 fighter jet parts, which Israel has used to indiscriminately bombard the Gaza Strip for nearly eleven months. As we continue to see daily massacres, now also expanded to the West Bank, we must be clear that this political posturing will not be enough to appease us or end Labour’s complicity in Israeli crimes.

Responding to the news, Shamiul Joarder, Head of Public Affairs at Friends of Al-Aqsa said, “The Labour government came to power promising to reshape British foreign policy by committing itself to international law. What we have seen for the past two months, however, is much of the same, as Keir Starmer and David Lammy remain committed to the policies of their predecessors in support of the Israel.

“The move to suspend only thirty out of the existing 350 licenses shows that, when choosing between ending complicity in genocide and support for Israel, Labour stands with the latter. We see this move as nothing more than a political stunt to appease the swelling voices in favour of an arms embargo by claiming that Labour is taking action. We at Friends of Al-Aqsa want to make it clear that this will not work. We will continue to demand the UK government to uphold its international obligation to take meaningful steps to end the genocide by immediately ceasing its military, diplomatic and political support for Israel. We will not stop putting pressure on the government until it commits to a complete arms embargo.”

Today’s announcement is an insufficient step that does not end Labour’s complicity in Israel’s genocidal war. We are committed to continue organising, including through our national demonstration this Saturday, 7 September, until there is a ceasefire and the Palestinians acquire their right to self-determination.