Britons demand UK stop Israel arms sales

Once again tens of thousands of demonstrators have descended upon London, in the 17th major march for Palestine in London since October last year, to demand the new government end British complicity in the US-Israeli genocide in Gaza.

Appalled by the depravity of the Israeli regime and inspired by the resilience of the Palestinian people, they have once again taken to the streets of central London to be the voice of the Palestinians.

• London demo demands UK govt. to stop Israel arms sales
  

  Mass London demo demands UK govt. to stop Israel arms sales

  Tens of thousands of demonstrators once again descend on the British capital to demand the new government end the UK

It’s just that sense of being personally complicit in what’s going on and wanting to at least do this because if nothing else the people of Gaza see that we’re still out here 10 months on, they don’t feel as alone as perhaps they must feel when those bombs are falling.

Demonstrator 01

And it is those bombs they are here to try to stop the supply of. Since 2008 the UK government has issued more than $700 million worth of weapons export licenses to Israel.

• Britain has issued 108 arms export licenses to Israel since October 7th
  

  Britain has issued 108 arms export licenses to Israel since October 7

  A total of 345 licenses to sell arms to Israel were still active as of the end of May, according to government figures.

The ICJ, the ICC, have said war crimes have been committed.

So really, you know, if the UK Government prides itself on human rights, and the Western governments like the US and UK pride themselves on human rights and the sanctity of human life, then they will cease selling arms (to Israel).

Demonstrator 02

The UK’s grassroots Palestine Solidarity movement is as diverse as the country itself, bringing together people from different backgrounds and professions.

• Over 100 MPs urge UK government to ban arms sales to Israel
  

  Over 100 MPs urge UK government to ban arms sales to Israel

  More than 100 British MPs have urged the UK government to immediately ban arms sale to Israel.

Ten months of national demonstrations like this one and the pace of the pro-Palestine movement does not seem to have slackened, despite the cynicism of the political elite here in the UK.

See since the last march took place, Britain’s new Labour Government has restored funding to UNRWA and dropped the conservative era legal challenge to arrest warrants sought by the International Criminal Court for top Israeli leaders, a testament, perhaps, to the success of the Palestine Solidarity Movement.

• Protesters demand end to UK arms sales to Israel
  

  Protesters demand end to UK arms sales to Israel

  Pro-Palestinian protesters have come out in huge numbers to demand that the British government call for a permanent and immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and terminate its military and political support for Israel.

Our marching is just part of it.

We are also taking action in towns and cities across the country calling on public bodies, local councils, and universities, to divest.

Just in this last week, we’ve seen some of the fruits of the results of that campaign; King’s College in London has become the first London College to announce that it is going to divest from companies supplying weapons to Israel.

Ben Jamal, Palestine Solidarity Campaign

• King’s College becomes 1st college in London to halt investments in Israel’s arms suppliers
  

  King’s College becomes 1st college in London to halt investments in Israel’s arms suppliers

  King’s College London has become the first college in London to halt investing in companies supplying arms to Israel.

In the wake of the Israeli assassinations of top Hamas and Hezbollah figures, the region has become a powder keg.

Will the UK meet the demands made here today and use its leverage to prevent it from exploding?

• Cambridge becomes first city council in UK to call for end to arms sales to Israel
  

  Cambridge becomes first city council in UK to call for end to arms sales to Israel

  The Cambridge City Council has become the first council in the UK to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the current arms sales to Israel.