UK Defence Academy To Bar Israelis Over Gaza War
A prestigious UK government-run defence studies institute will not accept Israeli post-graduates from September 2026 over the Gaza war, the defence ministry said.
- Date & Time:
- |
- Views: 26
- |
- From: India News Bull
The Royal College of Defence Studies, a prestigious British government-operated defense institute, will suspend enrollment for Israeli postgraduate students starting September 2026 due to the ongoing Gaza conflict, according to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Monday.
The MoD confirmed to AFP that while current Israeli students will be permitted to complete their studies, new enrollments will be paused. This postgraduate institution, which forms part of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, provides training for "strategic thinkers and leaders within the armed forces and civil service" and offers specific courses to international students.
"UK military educational courses have traditionally welcomed personnel from numerous countries, with all programs emphasizing adherence to international humanitarian law," stated an MoD spokesperson.
"However, the Israeli government's decision to further intensify its military operation in Gaza is wrong," the spokesperson added, urging an "immediate ceasefire".
A defense ministry official informed parliament in June that the college was delivering "non-combat academic courses" to "fewer than five" members of the Israeli military.
Amir Baram, director general of Israel's defense ministry and an alumnus of the college, condemned the decision as a "discriminatory act" and "disloyalty to an ally at war".
"Frankly, Israel's exclusion is nothing less than an act of self-sabotage of British security," Baram, also a senior Israeli army official, wrote in correspondence to the UK defence ministry, as reported by The Daily Telegraph.
While Britain has suspended certain arms export licenses to Israel for weapons used in Gaza, some UK-manufactured items, including components for Israel's F-35 warplanes, were exempted.
Last week, Israeli officials were prohibited from attending a major London arms fair as Prime Minister Keir Starmer attempts to create distance between his government and Israel's war against Hamas.
Nevertheless, 51 Israeli weapons companies, including major arms manufacturer Elbit, still participated in the exhibition, prompting pro-Palestinian demonstrations outside the venue.
London has described Israel's recent escalation of its nearly two-year military offensive in Gaza as "wrong".