§ Dr. StarkeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 14 November 2000,Official Report, column 608W, on arms exports to Israel, when the Government first had concerns that CS gas exported from the United Kingdom had been used by the Israeli security forces against (a) Palestinians and (b) Israeli Arabs. [139231]
§ Mr. HainThe Government have not approved any licences for the permanent export of CS gas to Israel. We have had concerns, since we came to office, about the Israeli Security Forces' use of CS gas solely against Palestinians and Israeli Arabs.
§ Dr. StarkeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if end-use restrictions have been placed on any export licences approved by Her Majesty's Government on components and equipment exported from the United Kingdom to the Israeli armed forces since 1997 to(a) exclude their use in the Occupied Territories, (b) exclude their use in southern Lebanon and (c) restrict their use in other ways. [139229]
§ Mr. HainNo such geographical restrictions have been placed on export licences to Israel. We assess all applications for export licences against the criteria and in light of the best information available at the time. We do not issue licences if we judge the equipment would be used in any way to contravene the criteria. In addition, since the recent outbreak of violence we have asked the Israeli Government for an assurance that no equipment or components licensed for export from the UK have been used against civilians in the Occupied Territories or in southern Lebanon.