Wednesday, April 22, 2009

UK TO PROBE ARMS SALE TO ISRAEL


Britain has promised to probe into its sale of military equipment to Israel amid pressure over its contribution to the Gaza aggression.
After months of evading the issue of British support for Israel, Foreign Secretary David Miliband confirmed on Tuesday that London had "almost certainly" supplied Tel Aviv with equipment used in the military offensive into Gaza.
Miliband said he would order a review of all licenses for arms export to Israel. "I can confirm that we are looking at all extant licences (for sensitive exports to Israel) to see whether any of these need to be reconsidered in light of recent events in Gaza," he said in a written statement.
Israel waged war on Gaza on December 27. Three weeks of ensuing airstrikes and a ground incursion inflicted more than $1.6 billion in damages on the Gazan economy.
The carnage also killed around 1,350 Palestinians and injured nearly 5,450 people, mostly civilians.
While Tel Aviv continues to enforce a crippling blockade on Gaza and prevents necessary humanitarian aid and assistance from reaching the 1.5 million people inside the strip, British support for Israel has sparked controversy and has prompted opposition in parliament.
"All future applications will be assessed taking into account the recent conflict," Miliband promised.
Courtesy: Press TV

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