UK Arms Ban to Israel: Dousing Ashes After the Flames

The UK’s latest grand gesture of suspending a few arms sales to Israel is like arriving with a teacup to douse the flames after the house has already burned to the ground. For years, the international community has been a spectator as Israel, equipped with Western-supplied weapons, has unleashed devastating military campaigns on Palestinians. Now, after entire neighbourhoods have been reduced to rubble and lives lost beyond count, the UK suddenly realises there’s a “clear risk” that its weapons could be used to commit serious violations of international law. But really, what’s the point of putting out the fire now that only ashes remain?

The UK’s suspension of 30 out of 350 arms export licences—affecting parts for fighter jets, helicopters, and drones—is like slapping a “Do Not Disturb” sign on a door that’s already off its hinges. These are the very toys that have been used to wreak havoc on Gaza for years. Yet, while putting a slight dent in the arsenal, the UK cheerfully continues to sell other arms that can still do the job. Bravo!

To many, this is hardly the bold action needed to stop the bloodshed. Instead, it’s seen as a token gesture—kind of like offering a plaster for a decapitation. It conveniently overlooks the root causes of the conflict while doing absolutely nothing about the genocide committed by  Israel. Meanwhile, the UK and other Western governments keep themselves busy manufacturing new weapons for the next round of “defence.”

Human rights groups, like Amnesty International UK, have politely pointed out that the suspension is “too limited and riddled with loopholes.” In other words, it’s as useful as putting a sticking plaster on a sinking ship. The UK government, of course, acknowledges there’s a risk its weapons might be used for some unsavoury activities, but insists it’s not their job to decide whether Israel’s actions amount to breaking the rules of war. After all, why ruin the fun of having your cake and eating it too?

The big question from those on the receiving end of the bombs is, where was all this concern when the missiles were raining down, when children were being buried under rubble, and when schools were being turned into dust? The international community’s sudden burst of conscience is less of a moral awakening and more of a sluggish yawn. The house is already in ashes, and now they’re trying to sweep up the last few embers as if that will somehow fix everything.

For decades, Palestinians have watched the international community’s impressive ability to fail spectacularly at taking meaningful action to stop Israel’s not-so-subtle efforts to wipe them out. The US, ever the devoted supplier of Israel’s military might, has done little more than offer its usual “thoughts and prayers” while keeping the weapons flowing. The UK’s sales, in comparison, are just a drop in the ocean, but it’s the thought that counts, right?

The real issue in Palestine is the Western hegemony that props up this cowardly regime, giving it a grand delusion of victory over innocent men, women, and children. Without the backing of Western nations, the question of illegal occupation and genocide would be a non-starter. But who needs real action when you can have a perfectly timed, symbolic gesture?

In the eyes of many Palestinians, the time for action was long before the bombs started falling, before homes were turned into dust, and before lives were shattered beyond repair. Now, as the smoke clears and the rubble remains, they are left to pick up the pieces while the world sits back and debates the merits of stopping a fire that has already consumed everything. How generous