UN Permanent Representative Barbara Woodward said that 30 licenses had been canceled for Britain’s arms sales to Israel and that additional cancellations were possible.
Barbara Woodward, the UK’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), signaled new measures being taken against arms sales to Israel. Stating that 30 arms sales licenses had been canceled before, Woodward said that there were currently around 350 licenses and that it was possible that more of these licenses would be canceled. She warned that further cancellations could be made depending on developments.
Woodward responded to media questions at a press conference he held at the UN by saying, “When you canceled some arms sales licenses to Israel in September, there was not only a reaction from Israel. Some criticized it by saying it was a very limited move. In light of the growing consensus that there was genocide in Gaza, are the license cancellations in question sufficient by the UK or are you considering taking additional steps?”
Recalling that 43,000 people were killed in Gaza, Woodward said that the people of Gaza were also displaced many times and that the tents in which the displaced people were staying were bombed by Israel.
Iran-Iran”The humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire and we are working every day to fix it,” Woodward said.
Noting that Britain had increased humanitarian aid to Gaza and that the Israeli Parliament had condemned the laws against the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, Woodward said it was essential to focus on humanitarian aid.
Woodward said the cancellation of arms sales licenses to Israel was part of a “bigger picture” and added that they were continuing their contacts for humanitarian aid, a ceasefire, and the release of prisoners.
According to Anadolu “When we put the export bans in place, on the 30 (arms export licenses) that we have, I think there’s about 350 altogether, that any further measures would be up for consideration,” Woodward says in answer to a question on whether Britain might extend arms export license suspensions to Israel.
Stating that there are approximately 350 arms sales licenses to Israel, Woodward further said that their decision to cancel 30 licenses given in September was harshly criticized by Israel.
Woodward said there was currently no active process for a new license cancellation, but that it was not out of the question based on developments.
