DOUGLAS ALEXANDER has demanded new safeguards to control Britain’s trade in arms.

The shadow defence secretary spoke out after the Sunday Mail revealed how Israeli bombs inflicting death and devastation on Gaza are fitted with laser-guidance systems made in Scotland.

Other Scottish firms can today be linked to the Israel onslaught – Operation Protective Edge – which has killed 2000 Palestinians, injured 10,000 and reduced swathes of Gaza to rubble.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said last week that a dozen export licences would be halted if the Israeli-Hamas ceasefire breaks down.

But, writing in the Sunday Mail today, Alexander, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South, calls for arms export licence applications to be checked first by a watchdog before the UK government make decisions on them.

He says: “ The UK is today lacking a method of prior scrutiny for arms export licences .

“Allies like Sweden have an expert advisory body who advise on delicate pre-licence decisions before a minister has made the final call.

“Such a new approach could help ensure that the Government enforces its legal obligations on arms exports without fear or favour.

“All of us hope the current fragile ceasefire in Gaza will now see all sides engage in a fresh push for peace. Yet none of us can forget the death toll caused by three weeks of intense and bloody fighting which shocked and outraged people around the world.”

Devastation in Gaza

He spoke out as hundreds of campaigners marched on the Fife factory which the Sunday Mail revealed made laser-guidance systems for Israeli smart bombs dropped on Gaza.

About 200 protesters marched to the Raytheon factory in Glenrothes from Fife Council’s 
HQ in the town. Raytheon are one of Israel’s biggest arms suppliers and the firm make navigation units for the Paveway II bombs which were dropped on Gaza by Israel.

An extended ceasefire in the war zone appeared to hold yesterday but is due to come to an end tomorrow. There were no reports of fire, raising hopes of a longer term truce.

A pro-peace demonstration was held at Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square with dozens of similar events taking place around the world. More than 2000 people have died in Gaza since the fighting began last month.

Those killed also include 64 Israeli soldiers and three civilians, according to the UN.

The Government were under huge pressure last week to stop arms sales to Israel.

The business department said they reviewed 12 export licences including equipment for military radar, combat aircraft and tanks. But ministers stopped short of suspending sales, prompting a furious response from critics.

Andrew Smith, spokesman for the Campaign Against Arms Trade, said: “The Government always talk about the strength of their arms control policy but this shows how weak it is.

“Even by Vince Cable’s own admission, it is likely that UK weapons have been used in Gaza.

“The UK’s failure to even suspend these licences unless the violence resumes is simply not good enough.

“In effect, it is saying that more people will need to die before the UK will take any action.”

Amnesty International UK arms expert Oliver Sprague said: “On the surface, this announcement appears to show the government finally taking a responsible position over arms sales to Israel.

“In fact, the exact opposite is true.

“It marks a significant weakening of our existing rules designed to prevent UK arms fuelling war crimes and serious human rights abuses.

“To say that these 12 licences for the sale of arms will only be suspended if the situation gets worse is a massive step backwards for the UK’s own arms trade controls.”

He added: “The Israeli military’s past record in the Occupied Territories, especially Gaza and the West Bank, raises serious questions over whether the UK should have been selling these arms to Israel in the first place.”

North Glasgow Labour MP Ann McKechin who is a member of Westminster’s Committees on Arms Exports Controls, said: “I believe the Government need to go further than simply suspending the licences where there is direct evidence that they have been used in the Gaza conflict – they should be immediately revoked.

“We need to send a strong and unequivocal message that disproportionate attacks on civilian populations will not be tolerated by the UK in any way – directly or indirectly.”

Yesterday’s Fife protest was organised by the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign following the Mail’s report last week.

Albie O’Neill, of the SPSC, said: “We call upon Raytheon to cease their production and supply of guidance technology to Israel and to concentrate their effort on peaceful technology.

“The Scottish government have called for an immediate arms embargo to Israel from the UK who have sold over £7.9billion of arms and military equipment to Israel since 2012.”

Cara Hilton, Labour MSP for Dunfermline, was there with her three children.

She said: “Today is not just about extending our support and solidarity.

“Today, we are here to show our anger that military equipment made here in Scotland, in Fife, in Glenrothes, has been and continues to be used against children in Gaza.

“Raytheon proudly say they ‘turn dumb bombs into smart bombs’.

“I say all bombs are dumb bombs.

“There is nothing smart about blowing up schools and hospitals.”

Raytheon declined to comment.