UK arms suspension won’t impact Gaza conflict, says former Israeli PM

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert criticized the United Kingdom’s recent suspension of arms exports to Israel, claiming it will have no effect on the country’s military actions in Gaza and will be a missed opportunity for Labour leader Keir Starmer to influence events in the Middle East.

In an interview to Politico, Olmert called the UK’s decision to halt 30 out of 350 arms and replacement part licenses, including parts for fighter jets, helicopters, and drones, a “mistake.”

He said that Britain and Israel’s allies should instead focus on the Israeli government’s lack of a political strategy in Gaza.

UK suspends arms exports over humanitarian concerns

The UK government announced the suspension earlier this week, citing concerns that these exports could be used in violation of international humanitarian law. The move primarily targets military equipment that may be deployed in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

Olmert, however, expressed skepticism that the suspension would have any material impact on Israel’s military capabilities. “This decision will not have any significant impact on the state of Israel and therefore it will be lost,” he stated.

The U.S., which supplies the majority of Israel’s military imports, has not followed suit. Olmert hinted that the U.S. might have tacitly approved of the UK’s actions but has no plans to suspend its own arms sales.

My assessment is that State Department officials or White House national security advisers would have said to the British ambassador in Washington, ‘Hey, we understand what you did… America will not do anything of this nature,’

Olmert criticizes Netanyahu’s strategy in Gaza

A strong critic of current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Olmert argued that Netanyahu had miscalculated in launching an all-out war in Gaza aimed at defeating Hamas. He urged for a more coordinated effort with Israel’s allies, including the U.S., to address Netanyahu’s “arrogance.”

“I would have appreciated much more a concerted effort, together with the United States government and with other friendly governments… that would have put Bibi [Netanyahu] where he belongs in the right place,” said Olmert.

Olmert’s time in office overlapped with the U.K.’s Labour government, and he recalled how Israel’s leadership had to navigate pressures from public opinion in countries like the UK. He noted that Netanyahu should be mindful of the political base of Labour, which has been increasingly vocal on issues related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

US Presidential election unlikely to affect Gaza conflict

Olmert downplayed the potential impact of the upcoming U.S. presidential election on the Gaza conflict, stating that even a return of Donald Trump to the White House would not alter the situation.

He referenced Trump’s 2020 “deal of the century,” which proposed a two-state solution.

According to Olmert, if Trump remains committed to that proposal, it could undermine Netanyahu’s reliance on the U.S. for support, as even Democrats would be unlikely to shift their position.