• The UK will exclude Israeli students from the Royal College of Defence Studies starting next year.
• The decision resulted from Israel's military actions in Gaza, described as "wrong" by UK officials.
• Israeli officials condemned the ban as a "dishonourable act" and a betrayal of an ally.
• This marks the first instance of Israelis being barred from the college since its founding in 1927.
• Britain has also suspended some arms exports to Israel in light of the situation in Gaza.

The UK government has announced a ban on Israeli students from enrolling at the Royal College of Defence Studies, pointing to Israel's actions in Gaza as the reason for the decision. This prestigious college has trained international military and civilian leaders since 1927, and the ban represents the first time Israelis have been excluded from the institution. A spokesperson for the UK’s Ministry of Defence stated that the government deemed Israel's actions "wrong," leading to the decision to withhold access, according to trtglobal and aa.

The decision has elicited strong reactions from Israeli officials, particularly Amir Baram, director general of Israel’s Defence Ministry, who denounced the ban as "a profoundly dishonourable act of disloyalty to an ally at war." He described the exclusion as both "discriminatory" and a significant break from Britain's tradition of tolerance. This sentiment was echoed in a letter sent to the UK Ministry of Defence, highlighting the critical diplomatic implications of the decision, according to indiatimes and Reuters.

In light of escalating military operations in Gaza, which have reportedly resulted in significant casualties, this move by the UK government aligns with earlier actions, including the suspension of some arms export licenses to Israel. Moreover, British officials have expressed their intent to leverage diplomatic pressure on Israel to alter its conduct in the ongoing conflict, indicative of shifting UK-Israel relations amidst international scrutiny, according to Reuters and aa.