Secret Support: How the UK Played a Major Role in Supporting 'Israel' during the Gaza War

In conjunction with the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories, and finally in Lebanon, there is another battlefield taking place behind the scenes that aim to influence the opponent and weaken his morale, namely psychological warfare.

To practice psychological warfare, most countries in the world have established offices affiliated with intelligence agencies, whose main concern is planning and developing strategies for this type of war, and whose sole concern is spreading rumors and misleading on social media.

Recently, leaked documents revealed that Britain is involved in supporting the Israeli occupation forces in psychological warfare operations, according to Declassified UK.

It also shed light on Britain's role in helping the Israeli army enhance its ability to confront Iran and Hezbollah, as well as conducting spy flights over Gaza.

UK Defence Secretary John Healey recently confirmed British forces played their part in attempts to prevent further escalation in the region, though he didn't specify the exact nature of their involvement.

“Israel” is under investigation by international courts for genocide and war crimes in Gaza, while the British Ministry of Defense (MoD) refuses to answer freedom of information requests or parliamentary questions about its military aid to “Israel”.

Psychological Warfare

According to leaked secret documents, Declassified UK revealed that Britain secretly provided training and advice to the Israeli occupation army on psychological warfare techniques and cyber attacks.

According to the documents, the British Army's 77th Brigade worked to provide the Israeli army with strategies and techniques for this type of warfare in the information age, such as cyber-attacks, propaganda activities, and combating resistance ideas online.

Israeli media operations included the use of fabricated videos and fake accounts on social media to defend the bombing of Gaza in its current war.

The website confirmed that two exchanges were held with the Israeli army at the 77th Brigade barracks in Hermitage, Berkshire, between 2018 and 2019.

It is noteworthy that the leaked documents resulted from an Israeli army hacking operation by a group called Anonymous for Justice.

The disclosure of these leaks has sparked widespread debate in Britain, especially after the MoD refused to clarify whether collaboration in psychological warfare with the Israeli army is still ongoing.

Professor Paul Rogers, an honorary fellow of the Joint Services Command and Staff College, commented: “This is a highly significant revelation that shows the extent of high-level links between Israeli and British counter-insurgency and psychological warfare operators ”.

Huda Ammori, the co-founder of the campaign group Palestine Action, told Declassified: “Psychological warfare and propaganda are tools often used by the Israeli regime to spread disinformation while occupying, massacring, and torturing the Palestinian people.”

She said the revelations confirm that Britain plays an active role in repressing Palestinians.

Defense Collaboration

On October 9, Declassified UK revealed in reports that the British army had created a secret project, codenamed HEZUK, to improve Israel’s capacity to confront Iran and Hezbollah.

This plan, which began between 2019 and 2020, sought to enhance intelligence and military collaboration between Britain and “Israel”, such as hypersonic missiles and autonomous warfare systems.

Notably, the HEZUK project contributed to the exchange of information, the development of defense capabilities, and collaboration with Israeli security services.

In contrast, the MoD refused to clarify whether the project was still active.

On the other hand, Declassified UK highlighted in another report on October 3, the various aspects in which Britain assisted the Israeli army operations in the Gaza Strip.

The report stated that since Keir Starmer became Prime Minister on July 5, his government has ordered 100 spy flights over Gaza to assist Israeli intelligence.

The British army used its base in Cyprus to send drones and Royal Air Force (RAF) aircraft over the skies of the Gaza Strip to carry out spy operations on the Palestinian resistance.

On May 8, Declassified UK stated that the RAF had conducted 200 surveillance flights over Gaza since December 3, 2023.

Although the UK refused to disclose the details of these operations, leaked data reveals that the flights occurred at a rate of more than one flight per day.

The number of flights by US special forces from the British Akrotiri base in Cyprus to “Israel” has doubled since last July.

Since then, 13 US aircraft have flown from the British base in Cyprus to Israel.

Although there are no confirmed details about the cargo of these aircraft, it has previously been revealed that the US used the Akrotiri base to deliver weapons to Israel and provide logistical support during its war on Gaza.

Under the previous Conservative government, independent sources were able to document 18 similar flights between the Akrotiri base and “Israel” in the nine months before the Labour Party came to power.

However, the UK government refuses to provide any details about the US use of British bases to support Israeli military operations in Gaza, stressing that its policy prohibits the provision of information on the movements of foreign military aircraft.

RAF Typhoon jets, operating from an air base in Cyprus, were deployed to assist “Israel” during Iran's previous attack in April.

Declassified UK previously revealed that Britain secretly deployed 500 additional troops to its bases on Cyprus after “Israel” began bombing Gaza.

The UK government also admitted last February that nine Israeli military aircraft had landed and taken off in Britain since 7 October. 

Serious Violations

On 3 September, the UK government announced it was suspending certain arms sales to Israel, citing a clear risk that the equipment could be used to commit serious violations of international law.

While human rights activists welcomed the move, they expressed concern about the continued export of F-35 fighter jet components to “Israel”.

The UK government has not stopped exporting F-35 components to the Israeli Air Force, despite expressed concerns about the use of these weapons against civilians.

Recently, forty members of the British Parliament called for a complete ban on arms exports to “Israel”, in response to the Israeli army launching a large-scale military campaign in northern Gaza.

In turn, British writer Matt Kennard spoke in an interview with Electronic Intifada about the assistance provided by the British Intelligence Service (MI6) and the headquarters of Britain's electronic spying agency (GCHQ) to “Israel”.

Britain seems to be living in the shadows and not actively participating in the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the public does not pay much attention to this because it is not a major arms supplier, he added.

However, Britain is a major player in supporting the Israeli war machine through logistical and intelligence support, all of which is done mainly through the military base in Cyprus, as he said.

Kennerd also noted that the New York Times previously revealed that a British spy team had been working for the Israeli side since the start of the Gaza war, under the pretext of providing intelligence to rescue the hostages.

London-based activist Karam Merei explained in a statement to Al-Estiklal that Britain is the one that planted the seeds of “Israel” through the Balfour Declaration in 1917, and brought Jewish settlers and armed them to occupy the Palestinian lands. It is the one that paved the way for the establishment of this colonial state in 1948.

“Over the decades, Britain has provided military, political, and economic support to “Israel” until it established itself on the land of Palestine, he added.

Mr. Merei also stressed that the UK government has given the green light for the passage of a large number of arms shipments to “Israel” since the start of the war on Gaza, noting that its PM Starmer has repeatedly stressed that his country stands with Israel and recognizes its right to self-defense.