PROTESTERS blockaded the entrance to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) yesterday demanding that Britain end arms sales to Israel.

Military export licenses worth an estimated £7 million were issued in respect of Israel by the British government in 2014 — and 12 were linked directly to Israel’s bloody summer invasion of Palestine.

Activists from London Palestine Action and Campaign Against Arms Trade (Caat) armed with banners and security tape turned up at the doors of BIS when the Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed that 74 people had been killed in clashes with Israelis in October this year alone.

“Israel’s military force is dependent on the complicity of governments like the UK government, which is happy to sell weapons to Israel regardless of how many lives it takes or how many laws it breaks,” said protester Laila White.

“This latest mass resistance involves thousands of Palestinian young people who are confronting Israel in a way that is deeply inspiring.

“We are here to show solidarity with the tens of thousands of Palestinians taking to the streets to oppose Israel’s oppression of them and to demand that the UK government stops arming the Israeli military who are killing Palestinian protesters in the street.”

British companies and Israeli arms factories based in Britain manufacture drone parts, shackles and software used by the Israeli Defence Forces.

After last year’s Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, pressure mounted on then Business Secretary Vince Cable to admit that no less than twelve British arms licenses were connected to weapons used in the assault.

But none of these licenses was revoked or suspended.

“The bombardment last summer killed over 2000 people, and yet the arms sales have continued,” said Caat spokesman Andrew Smith.

“If the government cares about the human rights of those under siege and occupation then it must end its uncritical political and military support for Israel.”

BIS declined to comment on the day’s events.

London Palestine Action and Caat members were later joined by Stop Sissi campaigners, who have been holding protests against the visit to Britain of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.