UK Foreign Office Official Resigns Over Arms Export Policy to Israel

 Mark Smith, a counter-terrorism official at the British embassy in Dublin, has resigned in protest of the UK's ongoing arms exports to Israel amid allegations of breaches of international law in Gaza. Smith's resignation comes after he repeatedly raised concerns about the UK's arms sales to Israel and received only formal responses in return.

Smith, who previously worked in arms export licensing for the Middle East, reported witnessing numerous instances of what he described as war crimes and violations of international humanitarian law by Israel. He detailed severe damage to civilian infrastructure in Gaza, including the destruction of homes, commercial properties, and humanitarian facilities. Smith also criticized the Israeli military's actions, including attacks on Red Crescent ambulances and the targeting of schools and hospitals.

“There is no justification for the UK’s continued arms sales to Israel,” Smith wrote in his resignation letter. He expressed frustration over the lack of meaningful responses to his complaints and described the treatment of his concerns as deeply troubling.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has declined to comment on individual cases but affirmed its commitment to upholding international law. The Labour government has committed to reviewing the arms sales policy but has not yet reached a decision. Foreign Secretary David Lammy has suggested that while defensive weapons might continue to be sold, offensive weapons used in Gaza could be restricted, emphasizing the complexity of the issue.

Smith's resignation email was widely circulated among government officials, embassy staff, and Foreign Office advisers. He criticized the UK’s arms export licensing regime, describing it as ineffective and failing to address serious concerns of illegality.

Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the Palestinian Territories, commended Smith’s decision and hoped it would inspire other diplomats to take similar stands.

The UK is currently undergoing a judicial review concerning its arms sales policy, which will determine whether the Foreign Office acted improperly by not halting arms sales. Israel maintains that its actions in Gaza are defensive and that it makes efforts to distinguish between civilian and militant targets.

The ongoing conflict, which began on October 7, 2023, has resulted in significant casualties on both sides. While Israel claims to have killed over 17,000 Hamas militants, Gaza’s health ministry reports at least 40,074 Palestinian deaths, though it does not specify the number of combatants versus civilians.