UK defence ministry currently training Israeli army personnel

The UK is "currently" involved in training members of the Israeli army on British soil, according to Ministry of Defence officials.

In response to a question from a Labour MP, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces admitted the training was ongoing despite government concerns over Israel's assault on Gaza.

"As part of routine defence engagement with Israel, the UK is currently training a limited number of Israeli Defence Forces personnel on UK-based training courses," Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard said on Wednesday.

The UK has been largely supportive of Israel during its war on Gaza, which began in October 2023.

This is despite allegations of genocide and war crimes committed by Israeli soldiers against Palestinian civilians.

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More than 55,000 Palestinians have been killed as a result of Israel’s war on Gaza, which several countries, as well as many international rights groups and experts, now qualify as an act of “genocide”.

In recent months the government has become more critical in its rhetoric towards its erstwhile ally, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer pronouncing Israel’s aid blockade on Gaza “intolerable".

Britain's foreign ministry announced on Tuesday that Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir would be banned from entering the UK and will have any assets in the country frozen.

Nevertheless, the government has faced criticism over its continuing provision of military assistance to the country. 

More than 300 Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) staff sent a letter to Foreign Secretary David Lammy last month, raising concerns about potential UK "complicity" in Israel's assault on the enclave.

"In July 2024, staff expressed concern about Israel's violations of international humanitarian law and potential UK government complicity," the letter said.

"In the intervening period, the reality of Israel's disregard for international law has become more stark."

It said the UK government's continued weapons exports to Israel had contributed to "the erosion of global norms", and cited a visit to London in April by Israel's foreign minister, Gideon Sa'ar, "despite concerns about violations of international law".

Israel’s war on Gaza started after the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel, which killed around 1,200 people.

Israel responded by pummelling the Gaza Strip and invading it.

As well as the high death toll in the besieged territory, the Palestinian population there is facing "imminent famine", according to the United Nations. 

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