LONDON

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday firmly rejected calls to ban arms sales to Israel, despite escalating violence in the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and Lebanon.

During Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, Starmer responded with a clear "no" when asked by MP Zarah Sultana if he would halt the sale of weapons to Israel in light of allegations of war crimes.

Sultana, an independent MP, called attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where nearly 42,000 Palestinians have been killed in the year-long conflict following the October 2023 Hamas attacks on southern Israel.

She cited research by US medical professionals, which claims the death toll in Gaza now exceeds 118,000.

Sultana also raised concerns about 2,000 fatalities in Lebanon, where Israeli strikes began late last month, followed by a ground invasion.

The lawmaker asked Starmer to end the UK’s "complicity in war crimes" by banning arms sales to Israel, specifically citing the export of F-35 fighter jets.

These advanced jets, described by their US manufacturer Lockheed Martin as "the most lethal" in the world, have been used extensively by Israel in its offensive.

Starmer acknowledged the severity of the situation, but stood by his government's stance.

"Banning all sales would mean none for defensive purposes," said Starmer, whose government suspended 30 of 350 arms export licenses to Israel in September.

When Sultana interjected, repeating, "F-35 fighter jets," Starmer reiterated: "None for defensive purposes."

The prime minister justified his position by referencing the recent escalation of violence, including attacks by Iranian forces on Israel, and the significance of the Oct. 7 anniversary. "It would be the wrong position for this government, and I will not take it," he added.

Sultana, aligned with the party’s left wing and an ally of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, has been a vocal critic of the government's foreign policy. She lost the Labour whip in July 2024 after supporting a motion to abolish the two-child benefit cap, making her an independent MP.