Al Haq said the British government continues to approve weapons exports
to Israel in 2009. British companies have served as major subcontractors of
air and other weapons platforms produced by the United States, the leading
supplier to Israel.
The British Foreign Office acknowledged defense exports to Israel. The
office said British exports remain tightly regulated.
"The government monitors the situation in Israel with care in
considering applications for arms export licences," the Foreign Office said
in a statement.
The Al Haq suit demanded that the British government end export licenses
to Israel as well as suspend military and other assistance to the Jewish
state. Al Haq also called on the government to block British companies from
exporting military technology or goods to Israel.
Al Haq said Britain approved a record amount of defense exports to
Israel in early 2008. The organization, assisted by British attorneys, did
not elaborate, but the Foreign Office said the increase in exports marked
the sale of an unidentified naval communications system.
Amnesty International has also called for the suspension of weapons
supplies to Israel and the Hamas regime in the Gaza Strip. Amnesty said most
of the weapons found in the Gaza Strip were manufactured in the United
States.
"To a large extent, Israel's military offensive in Gaza was carried out
with weapons, munitions and military equipment supplied by the USA and paid
for with U.S. taxpayers' money," Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International's
Director for the Middle East, said. "The Obama administration should
immediately
suspend U.S. military aid to Israel."