The UK foreign secretary is accused of avoiding questions on military deliveries to Israel.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron is under fire for his handling of questions regarding the UK's policy on arms exports to Israel. Alicia Kearns, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, has accused Cameron of avoiding key inquiries and raising further concerns.

Kearns expressed disappointment in Cameron's response to a letter dated 29th January, noting that it failed to address critical questions, particularly regarding the frequency of export license applications for Israel referred to ministers in the past year. She emphasized the need for transparency from the Foreign Office (FCDO) and the Department for Business and Trade in assessing UK arms exports to Israel.

The exchange of letters between Cameron and Kearns this month sheds light on Israel's military actions in Rafah and the scrutiny surrounding UK arms exports. Kearns initiated correspondence with Cameron following his testimony to the committee in January, prompted by documents submitted by the business department to the High Court regarding the legality of UK arms sales to Israel.

These documents revealed internal deliberations within the Foreign Office on Israel's compliance with international humanitarian law and its implications for UK arms exports. Despite obligations to suspend arms export licenses in case of clear risks of humanitarian law violations, Cameron indicated that no formal review had been conducted.

During the committee session, Cameron acknowledged concerns about potential breaches of international law by Israel but maintained that existing export procedures remained unchanged. However, court documents revealed multiple assessments conducted by the Foreign Office, raising questions about Cameron's assertion of not changing export procedures.

Kearns pointed out discrepancies in Cameron's decision-making process, questioning the basis of his determination regarding Israel's commitment to international humanitarian law compliance. In response, Cameron confirmed the initiation of a review by the Export Control Joint Unit after Hamas's attacks in October and his decision not to suspend arms export licenses to Israel.

Cameron assured ongoing assessments of Israel's compliance with international law but provided no evidence of escalated license applications to a dispute resolution mechanism. Kearns continues to press for clarity and accountability in UK arms export policies amid escalating tensions in the region.