“This is for Gaza” MP Shockat Adam has been challenged after using a Westminster debate on Israel to make unsubstantiated claims about alleged secret deals between the UK and the IDF.
The Independent MP for Leicester South was granted a Westminster Hall debate on Military Cooperation With Israel on Tuesday at which he appeared to suggest the RAF aircraft were involved in delivering UK equipment, including “military vehicles and helicopters” from its airbase in Cyprus to assist the IDF in its war against Hamas in Gaza.
At one stage Adam, the brother of Friends of Al Aqsa founder Ismail Patel, accused the UK government of allowing “Israeli exceptionalism” which was undermining “the very concept of international law itself.”
Outlining widely circulated claims with the pro-Palestine movement, Adam told MPs “there is now mounting suspicion and evidence that UK facilities in Gibraltar are being used for the facilitation of armed shipments, harbour services, and jet fuel supplies for vessels transporting weapons from the US to Israel. ”
He claimed:”Our military co-operation extends beyond arms sales; it is operational, especially when it comes to using our airbase in Akrotiri, Cyprus. In one year alone, from December 2023 to November 2024, the UK conducted 645 surveillance and recon missions, which amounts to almost two flights a day.
“Interestingly, during the same period, the US moved heavy transport aircraft carrying military equipment to Akrotiri, and the RAF subsequently conducted daily cargo flights from Akrotiri to Tel Aviv.
“We have been told that those flights were for surveillance and hostage rescue, but if that is the case, we must ask why we used RAF Atlas C1 aircraft, which are large enough to transport military vehicles and helicopters. ”
He also made further unproven claims about the use of F-35 fighter jets in Gaza.
Luke Akehurst MP
Armed Forces minister Luke Pollard later confirmed the RAF has conducted unarmed surveillance flights over the eastern Mediterranean, including in airspace over Israel and Gaza.
But he added:”I reassure honorary Members, because a number of them raised this point, that these flights are solely in support of hostage rescue.”
Labour MP Luke Akehurst also repeatedly challenged Adam over his unsubstantiated claims.
The North Durham MP noted that the government had last year “introduced arms export licence suspensions, which target any weapons that might be of British origin that would be used in Gaza, but are attempting to balance that with the needs of the IDF to defend itself against acts of aggression—for instance, the Iranian missile attacks in other theatres in which the IDF is operating.”
Akehurst addressed Adam’s allegation about RAF collaboration with the IDF in Gaza urged him to recognise “that in the unlikely event that RAF transport aircraft had been carrying something as large as a helicopter or a military vehicle from Cyprus to Israel—it is the first time I have heard that allegation—we might have seen evidence of such helicopters or military vehicles of British provenance?
“The Israel Defence Forces have no need of such equipment. They have far more equipment than the British armed forces do.”
In relation to claims over F-35s Akehurst added “it is more likely that F-35s were in use to shoot down Iranian drones, cruise missiles and other projectiles that were fired at Israel.
“Israel needs to use that platform to defend itself, given that it has faced two of the largest barrages of weapons fired at civilian targets since World War Two.”
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The Independent MP, who famously dedicated his general election victory in Leicester South to the people of Gaza last July, received support in the debate from MPs including Labour left-wingers Andy McDonald and Scottish Labour’s Brian Leishman, and from Jeremy Corbyn.
The Blackburn independent MP Adnan Hussain at one point suggested that the UK “allying with Israel while it carries out a genocide will bring about the end of the international world order as we know it.”
Adam responded:”The UK helped to build the modern international legal order, but we risk dismantling it today.
“International law is not a game of pick and mix, where we enforce it in one case —namely African despots—and ignore it in another. By allowing Israeli exceptionalism, we threaten to undermine the very concept of international law itself.”
Later, Conservative MP Mark Francois intervened to say:”While I can understand the passion articulated by the hon. Member for Leicester South in this debate, I say to him most respectfully that he is able to make those arguments in a democratic forum and publicly criticise the Government of the day because he is fortunate to live in a parliamentary democracy.
“That is not something we can say of all the countries in the Middle East.”
Offered the opportunity to address MPs in greater detail, Akehurst said:”The military cooperation between the UK and Israel helps to keep our country safe.
“Over decades, Britain and Israel have conducted joint military exercises in areas such as counter-terrorism, cyber-security and defence technology. British troops have been kept safe thanks to cooperation with Israel’s cutting-edge defence sector, particularly in unmanned aerial vehicles, missile defence and radar systems.
“The UK and Israel share intelligence on counter-terrorism and security threats posed by Iran, ISIS and other malign actors, both in the Middle East and at home.
“Indeed, it is my understanding that the surveillance flights are actually collecting intelligence relating to the hostages in Gaza, including Avinatan Or, whose mother is British and who has now been held captive for 528 days.
“I hope the Minister will be able to update us today on whether the UK will continue those surveillance flights and do everything we can to bring Avinatan home.”
Responding for the government, Armed Force minister Luke Pollard said UK “shares an important, long-standing and broad strategic partnership with the state of Israel. ”
He added:”Our defence partnership with Israel aims to support the security of an important partner and reduce tensions in the wider region.
“It incorporates a range of defence engagement activity, including defence education, joint training and capability development … the role our RAF played in thwarting Iran’s co-ordinated missile and drone attack on Israel in April 2024, and again in October 2024, demonstrates our commitment to Israel’s security and to de-escalating regional tensions.
“As the House has been updated previously, in the aftermath of the shocking attacks on 7 October, the RAF has conducted unarmed surveillance flights over the eastern Mediterranean, including in airspace over Israel and Gaza.
“I reassure honorary Members, because a number of them raised this point that these flights are solely in support of hostage rescue.
“Only information related to hostage rescue can be passed to the relevant authority for hostage rescue. We will pass information only if we are satisfied that it will be used in accordance with international humanitarian law.
“As in the past, and as with other nations, any future defence activity with Israel will be subject to a rigorous overseas security and justice assistance assessment to assess compliance with human rights obligations and international humanitarian law.
“Although we recognise and respect Israel’s right to defend itself following 7 October, and condemn the brutal attacks by Hamas in the strongest possible terms, we have had, and continue to have, concerns about Israel’s conduct. ”
Pollard added:”We are clear that the remaining hostages must be released, and the way to return them safely is through a deal. All parties, including Israel, must observe international humanitarian law. ”
