Protesters accuse UK government of complicity in Israel’s war
A protester dressed as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer joins a protest against Israel’s war on Gaza, organised by aid organisation Oxfam, near London’s Westminster Houses of Parliament, on Tuesday
UK court set to begin hearings in petition over Israel arms sales
The High Court in London will begin four days of hearings in a petition filed by the Palestinian rights group, Al-Haq, seeking to block the government’s export of fighter jet parts to Israel amid the war in Gaza.
The case is also supported by Amnesty International, Oxfam and other rights groups.
Israel has used the Lockheed Martin F-35 fighters to devastating effect in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, and the head of Amnesty UK said Britain had failed to uphold its “legal obligation … to prevent genocide” by allowing the export of key parts to Israel.
The plane’s refuelling probe, laser targeting system, tyres, rear fuselage, fan propulsion system and ejector seat are all made in the UK, according to Oxfam, and lawyers supporting Al-Haq’s case said the aircraft “could not keep flying without continuous supply of UK-made components”.
The British government has suspended about 30 licences following a review of Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law, but the partial ban did not cover UK-made parts for the advanced F-35 stealth fighters.
A spokesperson for the UK government told AFP that it was “not currently possible to suspend licensing of F-35 components for use by Israel without prejudicing the entire global F-35 programme, due to its strategic role in NATO and wider implications for international peace and security”.
