UK's Cameron 'sat on advice' that Israel was breaching International Humanitarian Law

Former UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron sat on advice given by officials from the Foreign Office that Israel was breaching international humanitarian law (IHL) in Gaza, the Guardian reported on Tuesday. 

A former Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) adviser told the newspaper that British officials in Israel and London sent drafts to the government from at least February onwards stating there was clear evidence of breaches of international humanitarian law in Gaza and that the UK risked being complicit. 

The source, who contributed to drafting the advice, said: "The advice being sent to the Foreign Office was clear that the breaches of IHL by Israel as the occupying power were so obvious that there was a danger of UK complicity if the licences were not withdrawn."

The UK on Monday suspended 30 arms export licences to Israel following a review under the new Labour government which found that British-made weapons may have been used in the violation of international humanitarian law in Gaza.

The FCDO adviser said: "The tragedy has to be considered: how many lives might have been saved if the arms export licences had been stopped then and not in September, and what the potential ripple effect might have been on how other countries would have reacted in ceasing trade."