LONDON/MADRID: A prestigious UK government-run defence studies institute will not accept Israeli post-graduates from September 2026 over the Gaza war, the defence ministry said on Monday.

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed that enrolment for Israelis at the Royal College of Defence Studies would be paused next year, but current students would be allowed to remain.

The post-graduate college part of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom offers training for “strategic thinkers and leaders within the armed forces and civil service”, according to its website, with international students allowed to study specific courses.

“UK military educational courses have long been open to personnel from a wide range of countries, with all UK military courses emphasising compliance with international humanitarian law,” an MoD spokesperson said.

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“However, the Israeli government’s decision to further escalate its military operation in Gaza is wrong,” the spokesperson said, calling for an “immediate ceasefire”.

A UK defence ministry official told parliament in June that the college was providing “non-combat academic courses” to “fewer than five” members of the Israeli military.

Amir Baram, the director general of Israel’s defence ministry, who studied at the college, denounced the decision as a “discriminatory act” and “disloyalty to an ally at war”.

Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2025