Government must publish legal advice on arms to Israel, says Labour's Jonathan Reynolds

Government must publish legal advice on arms to Israel, says Labour's Jonathan Reynolds
Georgia Pearce

By Georgia Pearce


Published: 04/04/2024

- 11:54

Labour's Shadow Business Secretary said the Government must publish legal advice it has received on supplying arms to Israel following the attack on a convoy in Gaza that killed seven aid workers.

Jonathan Reynolds said on GB News: “Israel was attacked on October 7 and of course has the right to defend itself. But it must defend itself within international law.

“Specifically in the case of British arms exports to Israel, the law of the UK is very, very clear. If there is any possibility of anything exported from the UK being involved in a serious violation of a humanitarian law, it cannot be exported from the UK.

“The Government will have had legal advice on that specific to the conflict in Gaza. We've asked them to publish that legal advice.”

In a discussion during Breakfast with Stephen Dixon and Ellie Costello, he continued: “It would be I think a reasonable step given what has happened in the last few days and what has happened over the last few months, to make clear the legal position to make sure the Government itself and we are currently complying with UK law.

“What really needs to happen more than anything else is an immediate ceasefire, the release of those hostages, and an immediate humanitarian surge of aid into Gaza.”

He added: “But before that happens, we clearly must be able to tell the British people we are currently complying with UK law as it stands.”

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