David Cameron says Britain WON'T suspend arms sales to Israel despite the killing of three British veterans in an IDF airstrike in Gaza

Britain won't suspend arms sales to Israel despite the recent killings of three British veterans in an IDF airstrike in Gaza, David Cameron confirmed tonight.

The Foreign Secretary, speaking in Washington DC, said he had reviewed the most recent legal advice and this had left the UK's position 'unchanged'.

The deaths of John Chapman, 57, James 'Jim' Henderson, 33, and James Kirby, 47, who were all former members of the Armed Forces, has piled pressure on the Government to take a tougher line on Israel. 

They were among seven aid workers who died when a World Central Kitchen (WCK) convoy was hit by an Israeli air strike last week.

Calls for a halt to arms sales to Israel in the wake of the tragedy have come from MPs - including senior Tories - as well as a former national security adviser and retired senior judges.

But, speaking at a press conference this evening, Lord Cameron said: 'On Israel and international humanitarian law, as required by the UK's robust arms export control regime, I have now reviewed the most recent advice about the situation in Gaza and Israeli conduct of their military campaign.

'The latest assessment leaves our position on export licences unchanged. This is consistent with the advice that I and other ministers have received and as ever we will keep the position under review.

'Let me be clear though, we continue to have grave concerns around the humanitarian access issue in Gaza, both for the period that was assessed and subsequently.'

The Foreign Secretary noted how 'so far, no like-minded countries have taken the decision to suspend existing arms export licences to Israel'.

He also hailed Israel as a 'vital defence and security partner to the UK', but made a demand for Israel's 'public commitments' to flood Gaza with aid 'to be turned into a reality'.

Lord Cameron continued to resist pressure for the Government to publish the legal advice it has received as to whether Israel has acted in accordance with international humanitarian law over its actions in Gaza.

'We don't publish legal advice, we don't comment on legal advice but we act in a way that's consistent with it,' he said. 'We're a Government under the law and that's as it should be.'

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) dismissed two officers over last Monday's drone strike, which it described as a 'grave mistake stemming from a serious failure'.

Mishandling of critical information and violations of the army's rules of engagement were cited as the reasons for the dismissal. 

Three other senior officers were also reprimanded for their roles in the strike, which brought widespread international condemnation of Israel's actions in Gaza.

The debate over whether to suspend arms export licences sparked rumours of a Cabinet split, with Lord Cameron appearing more strident in his criticism of Israel than some of his colleagues, including Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden.

On Sunday, Mr Dowden hit out at those who 'relish' in 'pushing this case against Israel' and expressed concern about 'the manner in which some people are seizing on this issue'.

Kristyan Benedict, from Amnesty International UK, said: 'It's sadly predictable that David Cameron still insists that there are no grounds for the UK to suspend arms transfers to Israel even after Israeli forces have killed thousands of civilians, including aid workers in Gaza.

'The Foreign Secretary ought to have told his counterparts in the US administration that the UK will immediately suspend arms transfers to Israel, including the supply of components for US-made F-35 bombers which are being used by Israeli forces in Gaza with such horrendous consequences for Palestinians.

'This was yet another missed opportunity from David Cameron to move himself and other UK officials away from their current complicity in Israeli war crimes, apartheid and possible genocide.'