July 15, 2009: Britain has suspended five export licenses relating to spare parts for the Italian 76mm guns used by Israeli Saar class missile boats. The export ban was imposed because during the fighting between Hamas and Israel earlier this year, Britain believes some Saar class ships fired their 76mm guns at Hamas targets, and endangered nearby civilians. The British believe this allows them to invoke an embargo on the parts because of British arms export rules that state that any part used in a weapon; "where there is a clear risk that arms will be used for external aggression or internal repression" cannot be shipped. Oddly enough, none of the 177 other weapons related export licenses were cancelled. All this appears to be an effort, by the British government, to appease anti-Israel members of parliament (who want to impose even more severe punishment on Israel for "war crimes" against Palestinians).
