UK implicated in aggression against Palestinians through military relationship with Israel

The deep military relationship between the UK and the Israeli regime, including in the form of providing training and advice, plays a key role in the oppression of Palestinians, reports say.

As a result of a UK-Israel military agreement, Israeli soldiers have been trained in the UK, and the two countries regularly carry out joint aerial exercises.

According to Declassified, the UK is running a multi-million-pound aid project in occupied territories through the “Capability, Accountability, Sustainability and Inclusivity Program” to develop “more capable” forces who can prevent the “potential overspill of violence into Israel.”

The project, managed jointly by the Ministry of Defense (MoD) and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, lasts until 2022 and aims to “deal with threats to Israel originating in the West Bank.”

UK maintains deafening silence on Israeli onslaught on Gaza

The UK government has adopted its reflexive posture on the core conflict in West Asia by ignoring Israeli military assaults on Palestinian civilians and instead shifting all the blame onto Hamas and other Palestinian resistance groups.

The British program is funded through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) and includes the presence of seven UK army and air force personnel in the West Bank to train units that confront Palestinian protesters.

According to a written parliamentary question answered by the British government in March, the country also provided military education to Israeli forces in 2019/20 and 2020/21 under the MoD’s “International Defense Training’ program,” which covers modes combat.

The trained units and military equipment provided by the UK government are utilized by the IDF in devastating aerial bombardments in the Gaza Strip.

Additionally, 15% of the F-35 fighter jets that have been used in Israeli attacks on Gaza are reportedly provided by the UK government.

The British government announced its support for Israel’s latest military aggression against Gaza through a statement on Wednesday, saying the Tel Aviv regime had a “legitimate right to defend itself.”

UK congratulates Israel as it marks 72 years since occupying Palestine

Britain and Israel have celebrated the 70th anniversary of formal diplomatic ties, which began 2 years after Israel’s creation in 1948. The Royal Air Force took part in the flypast over Israel alongside the Israeli Air Force.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Middle East Minister James Cleverly depicted the Israeli attacks as “proportionate” and condemned the “acts of terrorism by Hamas,” saying that Israel was reacting to provocation by the Palestinian resistance group.

“The UK unequivocally condemns the firing of rockets at Jerusalem and other locations within Israel,” Cleverly said, adding, “Hamas and other terrorist groups must permanently end their incitement and rocket fire against Israel.”

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn hit back by questioning the nature of “Britain’s military relationship with Israel.”

Corbyn asked if “munitions sold by Britain to Israel have been used to bomb places in Gaza or if any drone equipment supplied or bought by Britain has been used as a surveillance method on either the West Bank or Gaza that has been followed up by destruction of civilian life and the death of many people.”

UK must recognize Palestine as a state: Corbyn

UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn censures May’s government for celebrating the Balfour Declaration’s centenary with Netanyahu, saying she had to mark the event by recognizing Palestine’s statehood instead.

Official figures by the Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) show that since 2015, the UK has licensed over £400 million worth of arms to Israeli forces, including aircraft, armored vehicles, and munitions.

Labour MP Richard Burgon said at the same parliamentary session that “all UK weapons sales to Israel” need to be “stopped” adding that the Israeli regime had to go under sanctions for “repeated violations of international law.”

He reiterated that the British government had to take “the action necessary to finally force the Israeli government to stop its war on the Palestinian people.”

The Israeli regime killed at least 217 people, including 63 children, and injured more than 1,500 Palestinians during its latest aggression against Gaza. A ceasefire took effect between Hamas and the Israeli regime on Thursday.

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