Speeches by Doughty.

“As I have said, it is very, very clear to us that the definitive judgments we have been able to reach in those first two areas give rise to a wider concern about willingness to comply with IHL. That is very, very clear.”

“I should just point out that, practically, you have one piece of evidence in front of you—imagery or otherwise—but unless you understand what the process was leading to the targeting, or a decision about target selection or proportionality, which we do not have, you cannot make a definitive decision. That is the challe…”

“Well, we have been led to a clear conclusion that there is a risk that Israel is not complying with IHL.”

“On the two grounds that I have set out, Chair.”

“No, because we have not been able to reach that definitive judgment.”

“Yes, and we do not have access to all that on the conduct side.”

“Criterion number 8, Mr Western, sets out the economic situation and sustainable development of the importing country, and takes into account whether a transfer would undermine the economy or seriously hamper the sustainable development of a recipient. There is a whole series of criteria here that are considered as part…”

“Well, no, because we support a ceasefire. That was the first thing that we did when coming into government. We commissioned this review, we have made sure that we restarted the funding to UNRWA, and we have taken a whole series of decisions—by the way, not just in relation to Gaza, but in terms of the sanctions that we…”

“We are confident that the decisions that we have taken are compliant with all our international legal obligations. That includes a range of the measures. Fundamentally, we are applying the strategic export licensing criterion 2c, based on which those decisions have been made.”

“Well, Mr Poynton, we respect the independence of the International Criminal Court in investigating and prosecuting the most serious crimes of international concern. We are party to the Rome statute, and we take our obligations to that very, very seriously, as we do to the role of the ICJ. In terms of the specific issue…”

“All the matters are considered as part of that rolling assessment process.”

“Again, we just have to go back to that principle that we consider each of these licences on their own merits, and whether they comply with the strategic export licensing criteria. Each licence has been looked at.”

“Each country has its own domestic export licensing processes, and each country has different legal systems. There are different processes in place and there are going to be different judgments taken in different places. But we regularly discuss these issues with our allies all the time, on the visits that we are taking…”

“For the very reasons that I have set out, which is that each licence is considered on its own merits. As Mr Alexander set out, a substantial number of these are not for military purposes—they would not even have any relevance or relation to Gaza. They have to be considered on what they are and what they are used for, a…”

“If they did not comply with the licensing criteria.”

“I would go back to the point I made earlier: it is not partial suspension or compliance; it is that we decided to suspend a number of licences, of all the licences, because some were either not directly related to the conflict or were items that we did not judge to be at risk of violations of IHL. The ones that we beli…”

“We are absolutely convinced that we are complying with our international obligations. I am not going to comment on the ongoing process—the judicial review. We have the whole criteria here; we have the obligations. Minister Alexander has read out the explanation of the without prejudice clause, and Lord Coaker has expla…”

“As I said, I am not going to get into the detail of matters that are before the court at the moment.”

“Absolutely. I completely understand that, Chair. We have a series of obligations, as you say, under the Arms Trade Treaty, under our own criteria, and others. They are all considered as part of this process. The advice that we have received is that they are consistent with the decisions that have been reached. That is …”

“It is the basis that we have considered all the legal instruments and all the considerations that Lord Coaker and Minister Alexander have set out. That is the decision that is reached. It is reached on the totality of all the evidence that is provided: the legal advice, all those different pieces of information and the…”