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If Lord Cameron were to act, it would not be the first time the UK has redacted arms supplies to Israel.
In July 2009, Britain revoked five export licences for weapons on Israeli navy missile boats because of their use during the Gaza Strip in the 2008-2009 war.
Some Whitehall sources have grown frustrated with how long it took Foreign Office officials to consider the evidence from December and January and give their legal assessment.
The process can be laborious and legally complex, involving the Foreign Office reaching out to the Israeli embassy in the UK for comment on specific controversial incidents.
On Thursday, Downing Street and Foreign Office sources moved to play down the idea that any change on arms sales to Israel was imminent. They also rejected speculation of differing positions between Lord Cameron and Rishi Sunak on the issue.
Lord Cameron is understood not to have raised the possibility of an arms suspension when he talked to Israel Katz, the Israeli foreign minister, on Tuesday after the strike that killed the British citizens.
However, the Foreign Secretary did urge for more humanitarian aid to be let into Gaza. Mr Katz is said to have given an assurance that 500 aid trucks a day will be allowed in – more than double the recent amount crossing into Gaza.
Nevertheless, pressure for firm UK action is increasing.
Canada, the Netherlands, Japan, Spain and Belgium have all suspended arms sales in the wake of Israel’s offensive in Gaza.
And on Thursday, there were calls in Parliament for the Government’s own legal advice to be published.
David Lammy, the shadow foreign affairs secretary, urged ministers to “publish the legal advice now”.
“If it says there is a clear risk that UK arms might be used in a serious breach of international humanitarian law, it’s time to suspend the sale of those arms,” he added.
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