Labour questions arms sales to Israel amid Rafah crisis

David Lammy moved Labour closer to calling for an outright ban on arms sales to Israel as the row over the Middle East crisis exploded in the House of Commons.

- DAVID MADDOX

With Labour under pressure from its own MPs and activists to take a harder line against Israel on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Mr Lammy used an urgent question to ratchet up his party’s position.

It follows concerns in the party leadership that Muslims and others are not voting Labour because of its position on the conflict. But with Israeli tanks moving on Rafah, Mr Lammy made it clear to Tory deputy foreign secretary Andrew Mitchell that banning arms sales to Israel should now be on the table.

He said: “The French government said the forced displacement of any civilian population is a war crime. Does the minister agree? Hamas is a terrorist organisation, its cowardly tactics are reprehensible but that does not stop Israel’s obligation to follow the rules of war or the government’s obligation on arms exports.

“Can the minister say why he thinks an attack on Rafah does not present a clear risk of a serious breach of international humanitarian law? Can he confirm whether he has received any assessment that the threshold has already been met.”