British Defense Secretary John Healey on Monday rejected French President Emmanuel Macron’s earlier call to stop weapons deliveries to Israel. In an interview with Sky News, Healey signaled the UK will not back Macron’s initiative, as it “works a different system” for arms supplies.
This week marks a year since the Hamas attacks on southern Israel that led to the latter's military operation in Gaza. The operation increased tensions between Israel and neighboring Muslim countries, which have sided with the Palestinians. Earlier this month, meanwhile, Israel launched a ground operation in Lebanon, while Iran hit the Jewish state with a massive missile attack.
In an interview with French media aired on Saturday, Macron said that Western nations should “stop delivering arms” to Israel, stressing the need for a “political solution” to the crisis in the Middle East and warning that Lebanon could turn into “a new Gaza.” His words brought a swift and fiery response from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said in a post on X that Macron’s call was a “disgrace” while vowing that Israel “would win with or without” Western support.
When asked to comment on Macron’s suggestion, Healey made clear that London would not support a full arms embargo on Israel. He noted that his country has its own rules regulating weapons exports to the Jewish state.
“We as a Government don’t supply anything directly to Israel, but where there are export licenses that have a clear risk that may breach international law, then we’ve suspended those licenses where they could affect the lives in Gaza,” he stated. Healey was referring to the UK suspending 30 of its 350 arms export licenses to Israel last month, which included fighter aircraft, helicopters and drones. London justified the move at the time by warning of a “clear risk” these items could be used to breach international humanitarian law.
In his interview, Healey echoed Macron’s call for a political solution to the conflict, urging the global community to “redouble efforts to reduce the risk of wider war.” He acknowledged that “diplomacy is difficult,” but said that London is determined to try to “lead a push for a better peace” that would eventually see a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine.
The Times of Israel earlier reported that Macron and Netanyahu spoke by phone late on Sunday. The two reportedly “acknowledge[d] their differences of opinion,” but Macron did not retract his call for a stop to arms supplies even as Netanyahu said he expected “Israel’s friends” to “stand behind it,” not place limitations on West Jerusalem “that only strengthen the Iranian terror axis.”