‘No lethal cargo’ sent to Israel from British bases
The RAF has transported no “lethal cargo” to the Israeli Defence Forces, the British High Commission in Nicosia said on Wednesday.
“On the occasion of the first Annual UK-Republic of Cyprus Bilateral Strategic Dialogue, we will review all of our areas of co-operation,” the High Commission said in a statement.
“This includes our continuing work with Cyprus and international partners to reinforce stability and support humanitarian efforts in the region. In this context, it is worth stressing that no RAF flights have transported lethal cargo to the Israeli Defence Forces.”
The term “lethal cargo” is not defined.
The British government has acknowledged that flights have taken place from the Sovereign Base Area (SBA) in Akrotiri to Israel.
But Whitehall insists all such flights fall within the scope of humanitarian operations.
Recently Israeli newspaper Haaretz and the website Declassified UK claimed the Akrotiri airbase was also being used by the United States to supply equipment to Israel.
Asked about this, President Nikos Christodoulides said at the time that “there is no such information, our country cannot be used as a base for war operations.”
Last week James Heappey, Minister of State for the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom, told the British parliament that “as a trusted partner, the Ministry of Defence routinely engages with the Republic of Cyprus on issues relating to the Sovereign Base Areas.”
He added: “This includes, where appropriate, informing the Republic of Cyprus of flights into and from RAF Akrotiri, although there is no formal requirement to do so.”
Heappey’s responses came as a result of a question from Kenny MacAskill, Alba MP for East Lothian.
MacAskill also asked about US operations on the island but was told “The ministry of defence does not comment on information about Allies’ operations,” according to Declassified UK.
“That the ministry of defence can tell us the number of flights the RAF have made to Israel yet refuse to divulge what the Americans are doing is perverse,” the MP told the publication.