UK confirms troops received training in Israel during Gaza conflict

The British Ministry of Defence has confirmed that a limited number of UK armed forces personnel received training in Israel following the initiation of Israel's military campaign in Gaza in October 2023. The disclosure came in an official response to a parliamentary inquiry, with Defence Minister Al Carns stating that "fewer than five British Armed Forces personnel have studied on educational staff courses in Israel since October 2023."

Parliamentary Inquiry and Initial Reports

This confirmation was provided in answer to a formal question submitted by Zarah Sultana, co-founder of Your Party, on November 18. The parliamentary query specifically asked whether any British military officers had studied or trained at Israeli military colleges since the Gaza conflict began. The story was first brought to light by the investigative outlet Declassified UK, though specific details about the training locations and military branches involved remain unclear.

Broader Context of Military Cooperation

This limited training engagement occurred alongside other developments in UK-Israel defense relations. In September, Israel was prohibited from attending the Royal College of Defence Studies in the UK, with Defence Minister Vernon Rodney Coaker criticizing Israel's escalation in Gaza as "wrong." More recently, the British army deliberately abstained from a major international military conference hosted by Israel to share insights from the Gaza conflict.

Recent Diplomatic Distance

According to reports from The Telegraph, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that British officers and officials were instructed not to attend the multi-day seminar held south of Tel Aviv, despite having received a formal invitation. This indicates a recent effort by the UK to maintain some diplomatic distance from Israel's military operations while acknowledging that minimal training exchanges had previously occurred.