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Arms Trade: Israel

Asked by John MilneLiberal DemocratDepartment for Business and TradeTabled Answered 9 March 2026UIN 117036

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has assessed the risk of diversion for ammunition for civilian use licensed from the UK to Israel, including to settlers in the West Bank.

Answered by Chris Bryant

The UK Government has a clear position that Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal under international law.

All export licence applications are assessed for the risk of diversion in line with Criterion 7 of the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria which considers the ‘risk that the items will be diverted to an undesirable end-user or for an undesirable end-use'. This includes consideration, where relevant, of use in illegal settlements. Risk of diversion is complex, representing the single biggest reason export licences are refused, and all licences are kept under careful and continual review.

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