UK Army Stays Away from Israeli Seminar on Gaza Combat Lessons Amid Diplomatic Tensions

The British Army did not send officers to a multi-day Israeli seminar this week that reviewed operational lessons from two years of fighting in Gaza, officials confirmed. Delegations from the United States, France, Germany and Canada attended the event south of Tel Aviv, which used recent Gaza operations as case studies to discuss urban warfare, data and AI applications, drone-artillery coordination and casualty care.

What the seminar covered

Organised before the October ceasefire, the programme focused on technical and doctrinal matters: the expanding military use of data and artificial intelligence, coordination of drones with artillery to protect advancing troops, command-and-control arrangements in dense urban areas — including subterranean challenges — and improved measures for treating and evacuating wounded soldiers. Demonstrations included new robotic systems and operational exercises drawing on lessons from the 2024 Lebanon campaign as well as Gaza.

Why the UK did not attend

The Ministry of Defence said the invitation was not formally declined but that no British personnel were able to attend. A Whitehall source told reporters the invitation was not answered. The decision follows months of public criticism by UK political leaders of Israel's conduct in Gaza and broader diplomatic tensions, including the UK's, France's and Canada's recent recognitions of the state of Palestine.

Reactions and implications

Defence analysts had hoped political disagreements would not affect long-standing military ties based on decades of counterterrorism and security cooperation. Some critics argue the absence forfeited an opportunity to learn operational lessons from a partner. A former senior British officer, speaking off the record, said Israel has operational experience to share but may also use such forums to advance its narrative; he judged the missed opportunity for the UK to be limited.

Context and humanitarian concerns

The Gaza campaign — the longest in Israel's history — has strained Israel's international reputation because of high Palestinian civilian casualties and widespread destruction. Gaza health authorities, which operate under Hamas control, report roughly 67,000 Palestinians killed in the Strip since Oct 7, 2023, with nearly a third of the dead under 18; those figures have been a focal point of international concern and dispute. In September, a UN commission of inquiry concluded that Israel had committed acts amounting to genocide in Gaza — a finding the Israeli government rejected as "distorted and false."

Wider diplomatic moves

Recent diplomatic steps include the UK suspending 30 export licences to Israel in September 2024 over concerns about international humanitarian law, and Germany's decision to resume arms exports after a pause in August. Separately, a US-backed peace initiative supported at the UN aims to ease Palestinian suffering and restore Israel's diplomatic standing, though there is no clear plan yet to disarm Hamas and some Israeli officials privately expect hostilities to resume.

The Ministry of Defence reiterated that the invitation had not been formally refused and that no officials were available to attend. The conference organisers said the exercise aimed to strengthen cooperation, share operational approaches and exchange professional knowledge among participating militaries.