British soldiers received training in Israel during Gaza conflict

It has been revealed that British military personnel have been training in Israel during the Gaza conflict.

This information came to light following a parliamentary question from MP Zarah Sultana.

According to a report in Declassified, on November 18, Sultana asked the Ministry of Defence: “Have any British armed forces officers received education or training at Israeli military schools since October 2023?”

In his response yesterday, Defence Minister Al Carns stated, “Since October 2023, fewer than five British Armed Forces personnel have attended training staff courses in Israel.”

It remains unclear where the soldiers were trained or from which military branches they came.

However, this disclosure reveals a new dimension of cooperation between the British military and Israel amidst events that a UN commission of inquiry has described as genocide.

Retired British army general Charlie Herbert told Declassified, “The idea that British military personnel have been receiving military training or attending courses in Israel for the past two years is absolutely extraordinary. Given the credibility of war crimes allegations against the political and military leadership of the IDF [Israel Defense Forces], all such exchanges should have been immediately halted.”

Herbert argued that associating the British army with the IDF, “given their conduct in Gaza since late 2023,” causes “great harm to the armed forces” and that “the thought of training in Israel further strengthens accusations that the UK is complicit in this genocide.”

The information about British officers training in Israel follows a revelation by Declassified that Israeli soldiers have been training in the UK for the past two years.

In response to a freedom of information request, the Ministry of Defence acknowledged in September that fewer than five IDF soldiers had trained at the prestigious Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) in London in 2023 and 2024.

One of these soldiers, Yeftah Norkin, completed his course in July 2024 and went on to head the army’s “Bang” division during Israel’s invasion of Lebanon.

Another Israeli army officer, believed to be Elad Edri, graduated in July 2025.

Founded in 1927 as the Imperial Defence College, the RCDS in Belgravia is one of Britain’s most respected military academies.

In recent years, at least 32 Israeli officers have trained at the RCDS, including Colonel Yaniv Asor, the head of the IDF’s southern command, which oversees military operations in Gaza.

According to a post published on LinkedIn, the RCDS also hosted “senior personnel” from the Israel National Defence College (INDC) earlier this year.

The INDC prepares IDF officers, as well as defence and government officials, for senior command and management positions.

The visit to the RCDS focused on “exchanging ideas, exploring best practices in strategic education, and identifying opportunities for future collaboration between the two institutions.”

In July, the INDC celebrated the graduation of its 52nd class, which it described as “a significant milestone in developing Israel’s future strategic leadership.”

The following month, the UK’s Ambassador to Israel, Simon Walters, attended a “special International Reception in honour of the international students” of the 53rd class.

The INDC stated it was “particularly honoured” by Walters’s attendance, noting that “his commitment to strengthening UK-Israel relations and his inspiring words left a strong impression on all participants.”

The Ministry of Defence was asked to clarify whether the INDC was the institution that hosted the British military personnel.

The Ministry of Defence announced in October 2025 that Israeli officers would no longer be admitted to training courses in the UK.

Lord Coaker, Under-Secretary of State for Defence, had stated, “The Israeli government’s decision to further escalate its military operation in Gaza is wrong. A diplomatic solution must be found to end this war… Therefore, we have suspended Israel’s participation in courses organized by the UK.”

However, Israeli officers already training in the country were allowed to complete their courses, and four IDF soldiers are still in the UK.

This month, it was reported that the Ministry of Defence confirmed it would not send British personnel to an Israeli military conference held last week where “lessons learned from the war in Gaza” were to be shared.

France, Germany, and Canada apparently sent officers to the conference.