BRITAIN has reportedly suspended the processing of arms export licences for sales to Israel.

Exporters for arms sales licences are said to be receiving messages from the Department for Business and Trade, saying their applications are suspended pending a review.

No fixed date has been set for the completion of the review, which follows allegations that weapons sales to Israel risk breaches of humanitarian law in the ongoing Gaza massacre.

Government sources say that the process is taking time since ministers have to ensure any decision to suspend is legally sound and complies with arms export licencing laws, according to the Guardian.

Stop the War national convener Lindsey German said: “A temporary suspension of the processing of arms export licences to Israel, while David Lammy ponders what to do that won’t hurt his friends in the defence industry or the UK’s relationship with the US and Israel, means little.

“There must be an immediate ban on all arms sales. Every hour this decision is delayed, more lives are lost. The government must stop facilitating genocide immediately.”

The previous government announced in June that 108 arms export licences had been granted for Israel between the Hamas attack on October 7 and the end of May 2024.

Following a Freedom of Information request, Christian Aid revealed 20 companies had been issued with standard individual export licences issued for military goods to Israel over the period.

A further 30 named companies had military export licence applications pending.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said: “There has been no change in our approach to export licences to Israel.

“We continue to review export licence applications on a case by case basis against strategic export licencing criteria.”