News - Middle East: Leaked documents reveal that senior Israeli military officers who received strategic training at a prestigious British defense college are now commanding forces in the Gaza war, raising serious questions about Britain’s complicity in the genocide in Gaza. 

A significant number of Israeli military officers currently involved in the Gaza genocide received training at Britain’s prestigious Royal College of Defense Studies (RCDS), according to a document obtained by the Declassified news outlet and published on Tuesday.

The information originates from a leaked list of RCDS alumni published by the file-sharing website Distributed Denial of Secrets (DDoS).

The list details Israeli military figures who have attended the college, many of whom are now directing or participating in military operations in Gaza.

Among the named officers is Colonel Yaniv Asor, the current chief of the Israeli forces’ “Southern Command,” who oversees the war in Gaza

Asor was recently accused of responsibility for mass civilian casualties in Gaza.

The Israeli regime has stated that Asor would have been in the chain of command for “sensitive” targeting decisions in Gaza.

The revelation has raised concerns about British involvement in the genocide. In response to these reports, the UK Ministry of Defense (MoD) has announced that Israeli soldiers will no longer be permitted to train at the RCDS starting next year.

However, the current Israeli military officers training in the UK will be allowed to complete their courses.

Retired British army general Charlie Herbert criticized the decision's timing. “That it has taken so long to bar Israeli officers from the prestigious Royal College of Defense Studies is a disgrace,” he said.

“Even now, it is not sufficient to ban them from 2026. Instead, all Israeli personnel currently studying or training at UK military establishments should be expelled immediately,” he added.

The leaked list, contained in a 2019 email from a former British defense officer in Tel Aviv, includes other high-ranking officers.

Amir Baram, the Israeli forces’ current director-general, who was involved in the genocidal assaults on Gaza in January 2024, is also an RCDS graduate. So too is Major General Itai Veruv, now commander of the Israeli forces’ depth corps.

Another graduate is Effie Eitam, a former commander and politician. Israeli soldiers previously testified that Eitam had ordered and participated in the beating of a Palestinian to death in 1988.

A Ministry of Defense spokesperson stated, “UK military educational courses have long been open to personnel from a wide range of countries, with all UK military courses emphasizing compliance with international humanitarian law.”

“However, Israel’s decision to further escalate [the genocide] in Gaza is wrong. There must be a diplomatic solution to end this war now, with an immediate ceasefire, the return of the [captives] and a surge in humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza,” he emphasized.

Since the Israeli regime launched its military assault on Gaza on October 7, 2023, it has killed 64,964 and wounded 165,312 people, most of them women and children, according to local health authorities.

Press TV