A SENIOR British soldier is heading to Israel to meet with the country’s military despite warnings it could implicate the army in war crimes and the genocide in Gaza, Declassified UK revealed today.

Major general Zachary Stenning is to be briefed in Israel just weeks after the Israeli military’s head of operations, General Oded Basyuk, had to be given immunity from prosecution to visit the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in London, the investigative site has found.

The former commandant of Sandhurst officer academy is now a director of strategic command, part of the MoD, and is set to become the latest of Britain’s most senior military figures who have already made at least five unpublicised visits to Israel since October 2023.

He was previously head of military strategy in the MoD and received medals for “gallant and distinguished services” in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Balkans.

Amnesty International has accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza and called on Britain to “immediately suspend … military and security assistance.”

The MoD is, however, understood to be routinely conducting bilateral military engagement with the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).

John Deverell, a retired brigadier who was director of defence diplomacy at the MoD, told Declassified: “At the least we are perceived as non-critical of the IDF. And at worst we may be seen as complicit in war crimes. 

“So, notwithstanding the possible value of the relationship to the British side — perhaps in terms of technological know-how — we should cut off all links forthwith.”

The MoD said: “As part of the concerted UK effort to support security and stability in the Middle East and to achieve a peaceful resolution following ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon, we continue to conduct defence engagement in the region alongside partners and allies.”