By Nadine Osman
London, (The Muslim News): The UK has barred Israeli officers from its elite Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS), citing Israel’s conduct in the war in Gaza. The move signals a shift in the allies’ diplomatic and military ties.
Starting next year, Israel will be excluded from the RCDS, an institution that has trained senior global officials since 1927. The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed the ban, calling Israel’s ongoing assault “wrong.”
A spokesperson stated that while UK courses stress compliance with international law, Israel’s escalation is unacceptable, demanding an immediate ceasefire, hostage return, and increased aid.
This marks Israel’s first exclusion since the college’s founding. It follows other UK actions, including barring Israeli officials from an arms exhibition and suspending several arms export licences under international pressure.
Israel reacted furiously. Defence Ministry Director-General Amir Baram, a college alumnus, condemned the move as a “dishonourable act of disloyalty”, branding it a “discriminatory and disgraceful break with Britain’s tradition of decency”.
The decision coincides with growing domestic pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Families of captives in Gaza accuse him of sabotaging ceasefire talks, citing a recent strike in Qatar as proof he is the “one obstacle” to a deal.
Meanwhile, Gaza’s humanitarian crisis worsens. The Health Ministry reports at least 64,871 Palestinians killed and 164,610 injured by Israeli bombings since October 2023. On Sunday alone, 68 bodies were recovered and 346 people were injured, with many more trapped under rubble.
That day, Israeli strikes killed at least 44 Palestinians across the Strip, levelling residential towers in Gaza City, destroying parts of the Islamic University, and hitting displacement centres. The UN agency UNRWA reported that 10 of its facilities were destroyed, including schools and clinics that served as shelters. Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini warned, “No place is safe in Gaza.” The only healthcare service in northern Gaza has now suspended operations.
Rights groups also condemned the case of a detainee from Bethlehem, Mahmoud al-Wardian, who was tortured in Israeli custody and released with severe brain damage, calling it a “compounded crime”.
Despite international appeals, Israel’s bombardment continues. New evacuation leaflets urge civilians to flee to Al-Mawasi, a coastal area itself struck over 100 times.
[Photo: Relatives of Palestinians, who lost their lives following the Israeli attack on different part of the region, mourn as the bodies are taken from Nasser Hospital for funeral process in Khan Yunis, Gaza on September 14, 2025. Photojournalist: Abed Rahim Khatib/AA]
