UK reveals shift in Israel export licensing amid broader control tightening
The UK refused 17 military export licence applications to Israel between September and December 2024, compared to none in the previous quarter, according to official data released by the Department for Business and Trade on 10 December.
The increased scrutiny of Israel exports comes amid a broader trend of stricter UK export controls, with refusals of standard individual export licences (‘SIELs’) reaching historic highs. According to separate statistics released on 12 December, each quarter since late 2022 has seen over 100 total refusals across all destinations, well above the historical average of 74 quarterly refusals since 2008.
Of 368 current export licences for Israel, 16 are now suspended, including components for F-16 fighter aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, naval systems and targeting equipment, the Department for Business and Trade (‘DBT’) reported in its latest transparency data.
The department’s figures show that between June and September, before the Hamas attacks, the UK approved 39 military export licences and 33 non-military ones for Israel, with no refusals. However, in the September-December period, while 31 military and 35 non-military licences were approved, 17 military and one non-military application were refused.
‘Examples of licence applications refused during this period include components for combat aircraft and naval vessels, as well as components for targeting and radar equipment,’ the report noted. The suspended licences were part of a broader September announcement that covered 29 licences in total.
The data release shows that 177 of the current permits are for military goods and 191 for non-military items. Among non-suspended military licences are those for equipment not assessed as being used in Gaza operations, including trainer aircraft components and items related to the F-35 programme.
