Australia supports UK curb on arms sales to Israel

Australia has expressed its support for the UK's decision to suspend 30 out of 350 existing arms licences to Israel, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has said.

"I welcome the decision of my UK counterpart," Wong told the Guardian Australia. "It reflects what we have been advocating throughout this conflict. Palestinian civilians cannot be made to pay the price of defeating Hamas."

Wong added that "Australia is working with partners – including the UK – to put pressure to see a real change in the situation in Gaza".

UK arms exports amount to less than one percent of the total Israel receives, leading some critics to question the effectiveness of that move.