Sadiq Khan's call for Israel arms ban fuels rift with Starmer

Sadiq Khan sparked a fresh dispute with Keir Starmer on Monday by urging a ban on arms sales to Israel.

The mayor of London insisted on halting weapons shipments after Israeli strikes in Rafah, which reportedly caused multiple casualties, as reported by The Telegraph.

Khan said, "Devastating and heartbreaking scenes in Rafah following yet another Israeli attack – in flagrant breach of the International Court of Justice ruling and international law. Our own government’s lack of leadership is beyond shameful. They must finally halt arms sales and put real pressure on to end this horror."

Khan's stance underscored the ongoing divisions within Labour over Gaza, posing challenges for Starmer's upcoming election campaign.

Several backbench MPs echoed Khan's call for an arms embargo, adding pressure on Starmer to take a tougher stance towards Israel.

Richard Burgon said, "Our government must not stand by while Israel ignores the World Court. It must act. Starting by ending arms sales to Israel."

Similarly, Sarah Owen highlighted the need to cease arm sales, stating, "Many of us have argued that continuing arm sales to Netanyahu against civilians in so-called ‘safe zones’ needs to be halted. This is why."

Previously, David Lammy, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, hinted at the possibility of an arms embargo over the Rafah strikes.

However, Labour has now openly advocated for such a ban, amidst concerns from MPs representing constituencies with significant Muslim populations.

Figures like Wes Streeting and Shabana Mahmood are among those facing pressure to address the issue.