In what looks like a blatantly political move by the UK Liberal Democrats, possibly and cynically undertaken in order to raise the profile of the Liberal Democrats among Britain’s Muslims, and please the Israel hating wing of the Lib Dems, the Department of Business Innovation and Skills has put 12 export licences for British goods to Israel under review.
The Liberal Democrat MP and Business Secretary Vince Cable has said that these export licences will be suspended if hostilities between Hamas and Israel resume. According to the Politics Home website, Lib Dems are already claiming ‘credit’ for this move.
Here’s the statement from Cable’s department with my comments in plain text.
“The Government has today announced the findings of a review of licensed exports to Israel. It has found that the vast majority of exports currently licensed for Israel are not for items that could be used by Israeli forces in operations in Gaza in response to attacks by Hamas.”
Although the government have said that the goods this licence suspension relates to are components for military radar, military aircraft and tanks. I do not know at this present time whether these goods and/or components are specifically designed or modified for military use, or if they are Dual Use goods. For those who do not know, Dual Use Goods are items such as very high end computer equipment, certain types of software, and some materials processing and handling equipment. Dual Use items also can include any technology that is controlled because it could be used in military items or for military purposes. The Dual Use Goods List is quite extensive and makes interesting bedtime reading for the technical anorak types. Here is a link to the combined Military, Dual Use, Torture equipment and other lists of controlled goods.
“Twelve licences have now been identified for components which could be part of equipment used by the Israel Defence Forces in Gaza. “
The government have said what categories these goods come into and what is likely to be the end use for them. Cable really does look like he’s searching for a stick to beat Israel with.
“Currently there is a ceasefire in place and the Government continues to urge both sides to respect this and to secure a lasting end to hostilities through the negotiations taking place in Cairo. “
Yeah right. Israel wants peace but it’s plain to see that Hamas do not.
“However, in the event of a resumption of significant hostilities, the Government is concerned that it would not be able to clarify if the export licence criteria are being met. It would therefore suspend these licences as a precautionary step.”
Whether this would be an issue for Israel depends on the type of items that are currently licensed for export to Israel and whether or not such goods or a near replacement for them can be obtained elsewhere? It may well be that if these are Dual Use Goods then are these goods that could be obtained from another non-EU supplier?
“Business Secretary Vince Cable said:
“We welcome the current ceasefire in Gaza and hope that it will lead to a peaceful resolution. However the UK Government has not been able to clarify if the export licence criteria are being met. In light of that uncertainty we have taken the decision to suspend these existing export licences in the event of a resumption of significant hostilities.”
Cable must know that sooner or later, possibly sooner, Hamas will again attack Israel and Israel will be forced to defend itself. This retaliation will give Cable the excuse he needs to suspend the extant licences for the listed controlled goods to Israel. This could be damaging for Israel or it could just be a cosmetic measure that will do little to hamper Israel’s ability to defend itself, but will look good to the museli knitters of the Lib Dems and the Muslim demographic that the Lib Dems will need to chase in order to survive as a major party.
“No new licences of military equipment have been issued for use by the Israeli Defence Force during the review period and as a precautionary measure this approach will continue until hostilities cease.”
I wonder if the FCO, which has an input into export licensing policy and licence processing, has had a hand in this decision to stop granting export licences for military goods to Israel? I do love the optimism in this press release, ‘when hostilities cease’ is hardly likely to apply to the terrorists of Hamas, they do not want peace or the hostilities to cease, they want war until Israel is destroyed.
“The UK aims to have one of the most rigorous and transparent export licence regimes in the world with strict criteria governing the provision of licences. “
To be fair the press release is correct on this point. The aftermath of the Scott Report into the Arms to Iraq Affair did bring about great and positive changes to UK export control law. Up until the turn of the 21st century, Britain was still using, as one of the base legislative instruments for export control, emergency legislation that was brought in to deal with exports to Germany at the start of World War II. See: 1939 Import, Export and Customs Powers (Defence) Act which was incorporated into 1990 export control legislation.
“In the event of the renewal of significant hostilities, the Government’s concern is that it may not have sufficient information to determine whether the licence assessment criteria have been contravened, for example, whether a serious violation of international humanitarian law has occurred and whether equipment containing UK components has been used. It therefore would suspend licences while it establishes more information.”
Here is Cable’s ‘Big Red Button’ that he can press to make the Israel hating parts of the Lib Dems and the Islamic demographic start to cheer. If the tank or aircraft that incorporates the British goods is used in Gaza then these licences that have been put under scrutiny can be suspended. Well I must say that’s a fine way to treat a nation that is literally in the front line of the fight against Jihad. To a certain extent the Government is shackled by its and the EU’s own very strict criteria relating to the sale of armaments. It would be ironic if the only proper democracy in the middle east was put in danger because of Britain and the EU’s desire to be as moral as possible when it comes to arms sales.
“The Government continues to monitor closely the situation in Israel and Gaza, and if existing licences are found to be no longer consistent with the criteria, those licences will be revoked.”
The problem is the relevant agencies and government departments seem to ‘monitor’ Israel so much more closely than other nations. This may well be because of the government wide pro-Arab attitude and the fact that sales of military equipment to Islamic nations have been so lucrative in the past for British manufacturers. This is not the first time that the British government has used export licences and arms sales to punish Israel. The reason that Israel has the Merkava Tank, now in its highly advance Mark IV version, is because although the Israelis chose a tank based on the British Chieftain model, the British government suspended all arms sales to Israel in 1969. The result of this action was that Israel pulled its technological finger out and now has one of the best designed desert warfare tanks in the world. I’m sure that a nation as resourceful as the Israelis will be able to source or craft replacements for the items that Britain and Vince Cable, is likely to deny her.
There are a few good things that are in the statement by the BIS and that is that the UK will not suspend the licences for the export of equipment designed for incorporation into the Iron Dome missile defence shield. It is plain to even the most dim of people that Iron Dome is not an offensive weapon but is purely a defensive one. This licence review is not affecting licensable civilian cryptographic items nor commercial exports or items where the ultimate end use is outside of Israel.
“The priority remains lasting peace in the region that allows both Israelis and Palestinians to live alongside one other securely and peacefully. The UK Government will continue to work closely with colleagues in the EU and the US to help achieve this.”
We all want peace, but Jihadis like Hamas do not want peace. I’d like to end this article with a famous quote from former Israeli Prime Minister the late Golda Meir Z”L. It is something that Vince Cable should read and consider if he wants to understand what is really going on in the region.
“Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us”.
Links
Politics Home article on this issue
http://www.politicshome.com/uk/story/43758/govt_to_suspend_israel_licenses_if_conflict_resumes.html
Press Release from BIS regarding scrutiny of extant export licences for military goods for Israel
Government announces findings of review into controlled exports to Israel
The consolidated criteria for arms exports and licensing. It is the breaching or apparent breaching of any of these conditions that is probably worrying the government lawyers and the politicians.
https://www.gov.uk/assessment-of-export-licence-applications-criteria-and-policy
Some ‘Tank Porn’ in the form of the Merkava Tank.
http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/modern/israel/Merkava.php
I’m sure Israel hasn’t failed to notice that one of its most trusted suppliers can’t be trusted. Even as we write, I’m sure they’re sourcing replacements for any vital pieces of hardware they might possibly need. There are dozens of ways they can ensure the bits need to continue the fight can be acquired elsewhere in the big world.
Anyway, at least now, they’ve been put on notice… thanks to Cable.
The real problem is that very few people know the history of the middle east both before and after the 5 day war.
In addition, many have yet to wake up to the way Hamas operates: Inflating casualty figures. Collapsing old buildings and claiming the heap of rubble was brought about by recent Israeli attacks. Planting children in bombed buildings so they can be filmed crying out in distress when carrying them back out. Turning schools and hospitals into rocket launching sites etc.
The list goes on of course and is often accepted to be the truth by gullible TV watchers and pathetically uninformed MPs.