Israeli fury over British 'arms ban'

January 04, 2003
Israeli fury over British 'arms ban'
From Stephen Farrell in Jerusalem and Richard Beeston, Diplomatic Editor

ISRAEL has accused Britain of imposing a covert arms embargo that could compromise its air defences in a war against Iraq.

The diplomatic dispute between Washington’s two closest allies centres on Israeli protests that Britain has delayed the export of key spare parts without which Israel may have to ground its ageing fleet of Phantom fighter-bombers.

“This is a major cloud in our bilateral relations with Britain,” Victor Harel, a senior Israeli Foreign Ministry official, said last night.

British officials deny imposing any boycott, covert or otherwise, but confirm that all military exports to Israel are carefully scrutinised to ensure that they are not used against Palestinians in the occupied territories. “We won’t export anything that could be used for external aggression or internal repression,” a Foreign Office spokesman said.