British diplomat resigns over UK arms sales to Israel, 'complicity in Gaza war crimes'

A British Foreign Office diplomat has resigned over the UK’s refusal to end arms exports to Israel, citing concerns that the country may be complicit in war crimes and international law violations in Gaza.

Mark Smith, who worked as a second secretary in the UK embassy in Dublin, shared his resignation letter online, which stated that there is no "justification for the UK’s continued arms sales to Israel", given the number of "clear and unquestionable examples of war crimes and breaches of international humanitarian law in Gaza" carried out by Israel "each day".

Smith said he had internally raised the issue "at every level", including through an official whistleblowing investigation, though he only ever received standard, pro-forma responses.

"Senior members of the Israeli government and military have expressed open genocidal intent, Israeli soldiers take videos deliberately burning, destroying and looting civilian property and openly admit to the rape and torture of prisoners," he wrote.

In his statement, Smith went on to list a number of potential war crimes carried out by Israel with the help of arms supplied by the UK, such as the damage and destruction of Gaza’s homes and commercial properties, Israel’s blocking of humanitarian aid deliveries, and attacks on schools, hospitals and ambulances.

Smith, who has previously worked in the Middle East and North Africa region on an arms licensing assessment, went on to accuse the UK of falsely claiming to be among the world's most "robust and transparent" arms export licensing regimes, calling such words "the opposite of the truth".

He went on to describe the department’s disregard of his concerns over arms sales to Israel as "deeply troubling".

Israel has carried out a brutal military operation in Gaza for over 10 months, killing at least 40,139 Palestinians since it began waging its offensive on October 7. Thousands more are feared buried under rubble, while disease and hunger levels are rampant and likely to exacerbate the death toll.

Smith called on fellow FCDO officers "of good conscience" to continue raising the issue of the UK’s arms exports to Israel, and expressed "sadness" at resigning from a long career with UK’s diplomatic service.

In a statement to The New Arab, the FCDO said it does not "comment" on individual cases, but "has a processes in place for staff to raise individual concerns".

It also insisted that the UK government "is committed to upholding international law". 

Activists and lawmakers in the UK have actively urged the British government to halt weapons export to Israel during the war on Gaza. Reports have emerged over the weeks that arms sales "could be suspended" over concerns Israel is breaching international law.

However, a spokesperson for the Department for Business and Trade said earlier this month that the policy towards Israel remains unchanged.

According to the UK's Strategic Export Licensing Criteria, arms export licences should not be granted if there is a "clear risk" of the arms being used for "serious violation of international humanitarian law".

Polls conducted in the UK in April showed the majority of the British public want to see an end to arms sales to Israel.

In July, Foreign Secretary David Lammy said it would "not be right" to have a "blanket ban" between the UK and Israel concerning arms sales, as the country is "surrounded by people who would see its annihilation".

Between October and May, the UK has granted over 100 export licences for the sale of weapons and military equipment to Israel, as it continues to pound Gaza.