LONDON โ A pivotal legal hearing set to begin on Tuesday in the High Court will see the U.K. government justifying its ongoing provision of parts for F-35 fighter jets potentially used by Israel in its military actions in Gaza.
The case, brought forward by various human rights organizations, contends that the U.K. is violating both domestic and international laws by supplying these crucial components, thereby implicating the government in potential war crimes against Palestinians.
In September, the government announced the suspension of roughly 30 out of the 350 existing export licenses for military equipment possibly used in the Gaza conflict. This decision aimed to mitigate โa clear riskโ that these items could be instrumental in committing serious breaches of international humanitarian law. The suspended items included parts for helicopters and drones. However, the supply of specific F-35 fighter jet components was exempt from this suspension. These jets have been connected with Israelโs assault operations within the Gaza Strip.
The human rights organizations argue that the continued export of these components, enabled by what they perceive as a โdeliberate loophole,โ contradicts the U.K. governmentโs own assessment of Israelโs adherence to international humanitarian law. The challenge, led by Palestinian human rights group Al-Haq alongside the U.K.-based Global Legal Action Network, points out that these components reach Israel through international supply chains.
U.K. officials maintain that halting the export of F-35 components could adversely affect global peace and security. While U.K. firms contribute a relatively small amount of military products to Israel compared to major arms suppliers like the United States and Germany, their impact is notable.
According to the Campaign Against Arms Trade, the U.K. is responsible for approximately 15% of the F-35โs components, including its laser targeting systems.
โBritish-manufactured F-35s are deploying heavy bombs over Gazaโs inhabitants, a region dubbed a โkilling fieldโ by the U.N. secretary-general,โ asserted Charlotte Andrews-Briscoe from the Global Legal Action Network. โThe U.K. government is notably diverging from its own domestic law to continue supplying arms to Israel, a choice with dire ongoing repercussions,โ she stated.
The courtโs review is anticipated to last four days, with the judgment to be delivered later. Israelโs resurgence of its assault in Gaza since March disrupted a prior two-month truce with Hamas, resulting in over 52,800 deaths as reported by Gazaโs health ministry; more than half of the fatalities are women and children. The figures presented by the ministry do not differentiate between civilians and fighters. Israel has claimed the elimination of numerous militants but has not provided concrete evidence.
The conflict originated on October 7, 2023, following an incursion of Hamas militants into southern Israel, which resulted in 1,200 Israeli deaths and 251 individuals being taken hostage.
In a significant development in November, the International Criminal Court sought the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamasโ military leader, accusing them of crimes against humanity linked to the Gaza conflict.