My appeal BBC Radio 4 Today yesterday for the UK to suspend arms exports to Israel seems to have generated some interest. It was not a knee-jerk reaction to one awful incident. The deaths of the 7 aid workers brought into sharp focus a deep underlying problem. This was my argument 1/6

Israel takes pride in the professionalism of the IDF. They dominate the land, sea and airspace of Gaza. They have a duty as occupying power to protect and provide for civilians, including the special status under international humanitarian law of aid workers and medical staff 2/6

Yet there have been massive civilian casualties, including many medical workers in the various hospitals which the IDF have assaulted (Hamas undoubtedly carry a grave responsibility for hiding men and material there). And reports of 196 aid workers killed. In other words 3/6

The three missile strikes on the WCK convoy were not an isolated incident. Surely the conclusion from this exceptional civilian death toll is that Israel has not been giving priority to using their huge firepower in a proportionate and targeted way to minimise casualties? 4/6

Uk arms export licenses require a recipient to comply with IHL. Lord Cameron told the BBC on 8 March that UK officials would make a judgement ‘in the coming days’ on whether Israel was compliant. In my layman’s view there is now abundant evidence to conclude that it is not. 5/6

It is time to take the step of suspending UK arms sales. They only make up a tiny fraction of Israel’s arms imports. But it is a political message and might encourage debate on the issue in Washington. Meanwhile, the IDF has to create conditions for the aid agencies to resume End