The UK's arms trade with Israel – in quotes
"The government's policy on exports to Israel is incoherent. They are adamant that they would not licence exports - weapons, equipment or components - if they could end up being deployed aggressively in the Occupied Territories. But ... there are clearly lots of British components in arms being used by the Israeli government in the Occupied Territories."
Roger Berry MP, chairman of Parliament's Select Committee on Strategic [Arms] Exports
"no weapons, equipment or components which could be deployed aggressively in the Occupied Territories would be licensed for export from the UK to Israel....I can imagine...almost any piece of equipment, I suppose, could be used aggressively, especially in occupied areas, there is no question about that"
Kim Howells MP, Minister for Counter-Proliferation, evidence to Parliamentary Select Committee 25 April 2006
"Whilst we are grateful for the Minister's candour in explaining his difficulties in taking decisions on exports to Israel, we do not understand what the policy means. We cannot, for example, see that there is a class of equipment or technology that fits the definition 'aggressively deployed' in the Occupied Territories."
Quadripartite Committee on Strategic [Arms] Exports, 2006 report
Israel's attack on Lebanon
"The pattern of attacks and the extent of civilian casualties show a blatant disregard of international humanitarian law by Israel and Hizbullah. Direct targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure and launching indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks amount to war crimes. Governments supplying Israel and Hizbullah with arms and military equipment are fuelling their capacity to commit war crimes. All governments should impose an arms embargo on both sides and refuse permission for their territories to be used for the transfer of arms and military equipment."
Irene Khan, Secretary-General, Amnesty International
"It is horrific. I did not know it was block after block of houses...It's bigger, it's more extensive than I even could imagine...It makes it a violation of humanitarian law."
Jan Egeland, United Nations emergency relief coordinator, touring Haret Hreik district in South Lebanon
"Israel’s assertion that the attacks on the infrastructure were lawful is manifestly wrong. Many of the violations identified in our report are war crimes, including indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks. The evidence strongly suggests that the extensive destruction of power and water plants, as well as the transport infrastructure vital for food and other humanitarian relief, was deliberate and an integral part of a military strategy"
Kate Gilmore, Executive Deputy Secretary General, Amnesty International
