FOREIGN Secretary David Lammy should focus on halting arms exports to Israel instead of associating with war criminals, campaigners charged today. 

The calls came as Mr Lammy visited Israel and the occupied Palestinian West Bank on his first trip to the Middle East in his new role.

Today, he shook hands with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who last December was pictured proudly signing a shell headed for Gaza.

Mr Lammy said he hoped to see a hostage deal emerge “in the coming days” and a ceasefire to bring “alleviation to the suffering and the intolerable loss of life.”

Failing to lift the suspension of vital funding to the UN Relief & Works Agency, which the government gave £35 million last year, he announced that a slimmer sum of £5.5m would be given to medical aid charity UK-Med.

On Sunday, Mr Lammy discussed the case for a two-state solution during meetings with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who the International Criminal Court is currently pursuing an arrest warrant for over war crimes in Gaza.

Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn signed a letter with other independents urging Labour to drop any legal challenge to the ICC’s application for an arrest warrant.

The previous Conservative government challenged the ICC on whether it had any jurisdiction to issue arrest warrants for top Israeli officials in May.

Mr Lammy’s visit comes after Israeli strikes killed 90 people in Gaza on Saturday, with bombs from Israeli jets that Britain provides components for. 

Britain has granted 108 arms export licences to Israel since it escalated its genocidal attacks on Gaza in October.

Tim Bierley, campaigner at Global Justice Now, said that anything short of a full ban on arms sales “would amount to appeasing Israeli authorities and contribute to the incredible suffering of the people of Gaza.

“Israel continues to scorn international institutions trying to hold it to account, dropping colossal explosives on civilian areas and causing near-daily bloodbaths, so the UK has a responsibility to wield the strongest leverage it has.”

Emily Apple, from Campaign Against the Arms Trade, said calling for a ceasefire without stopping arms sales was “meaningless.”

She said: “In not even mentioning an arms embargo, Lammy is giving the Israeli government permission to continue its horrific genocide in Gaza. Labour promised change. This is not change. 

“This is a Labour government letting arms companies know it will be business as usual for them to profit from the massacre of Palestinian children.”

A study published in medical journal The Lancet has estimated that the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza could be as high as 186,000.

This includes those buried under rubble and killed indirectly through the destruction of health facilities, food distribution systems and other infrastructure.

Global Legal Action Network (Glan) director Gearoid O Cuinn said: “David Lammy has chosen to visit and sit with Israeli leaders at a time when the ICC prosecutor is seeking warrants for their arrest for international crimes.

“Rather than visiting unindicted war criminals he should be publishing the UK’s legal advice on arms exports to Israel and shoring up respect for international law by making it his business to halt further transfers.”

Glan is currently taking the previous government to court over its decision to continue arms sales.

The government conducted five legal assessments of Israel’s compliance with international law between December and April, but ministers refused to publish the advice.

Mr Lammy previously called for it to be published but so far has failed to do so.

A spokesperson for Oxfam, who is supporting the Glan’s challenge, highlighted that when in opposition, Labour committed to upholding international law and that it must act on its words and stop aiding and abetting Israel. 

“Warm words from the Foreign Secretary are not enough to help the two million people in Gaza at risk of death and disease every day. 

“We need to see action from the UK, starting with an immediate end to all arms exports and the urgent restarting of funding to UNRWA.”

Two activists were arrested yesterday in the latest string of protests calling for the suspension of arms licences.

The activists, from Youth Demand, laid flowers and spray-painted “180,000 killed” on the pavement in front of the cenotaph in London before holding signs saying “Stop arming Israel” and “Never again for anyone.”

The Metropolitan Police said they were “quickly” arrested on suspicion of criminal damage caused to the road.