MP wants Israel arms sales ban

Arms exports to Israel must be banned immediately, Kingswood's Labour MP Roger Berry was due to tell ministers today.

The head of the influential Committee on Arms Export Controls said he is at a loss as to how far the Middle Eastern state must go before the British government will ban weapons sales to Israel.

Israel's response to rocket attacks from the Palestinian group Hamas earlier this year sparked protests with hundreds of people taking to the streets of Bristol.

But arms licences are still being granted and Mr Berry has secured a Westminster Hall debate today to put pressure on the government.

He said: "The idea that countries can carry on exporting arms to Israel is quite wrong. The government says each licence application is judged on its merit and, to be fair, it has turned down quite a few.

"It says that any application for arms that it suspects will be used in the occupied territories will be rejected. But it's ridiculous to imagine Israel has got one arms stash from Britain that it doesn't use for that and another stash from elsewhere that it uses for attacks.

"What does Israel have to do to be subject to an arms embargo, like the other parties to the conflicts in the Middle East?

"I condemn violence on all sides. But Israel is the occupying power. It is in breach of countless UN resolutions, its military strength is dominant in the Middle East.

"Why do arms embargoes only apply to one side? They should apply to all sides."

Earlier this week United Nations investigators accused the Israeli army of a number of human rights violations including using an 11-year-old Palestinian boy as a human shield as they searched houses in Gaza.

Mr Berry will also call for an end to loopholes that allow countries that receive British arms exports to sell on the weapons to potentially rogue states.