Britain revokes arms licences for Israeli navy guns

LONDON: Britain has revoked export licenses for weapons on Israeli navy missile boats because of their use during the offensive against the Gaza Strip.

The licences apparently covered spare parts for guns on the Sa'ar 4.5 ships, which reportedly fired missiles and artillery shells into the Palestinian coastal territory during the three-week war, which started in late December.

A spokesman for Amnesty International, citing the "weight of evidence" that Israel had committed war crimes in Gaza, said: "It's a step forward but it doesn't go nearly far enough."

The decision came after a review of UK defence exports to Israel announced in April by David Miliband, the foreign secretary. Israel's London embassy ascribed the revocation of the licences to pressure from MPs and human rights organisations, the local newspaper reported.