UK Activists Sue Government Over Export of F-35 Components to Israel amid Gaza Crisis

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The UK government's decision to send F-35 jet components to Israel is under review in a High Court challenge led by two organizations, Al-Haq and Global Legal Action Network (GLAN). This legal battle started on May 13, 2025, with Israel's airstrikes in Gaza still ongoing.

Jennine Walker, a lawyer representing Al-Haq, stated, "We're in court to force the government to halt the supply of F-35 components to Israel." The four-day trial will determine whether the UK's decision to suspend some but not all arms export licenses to Israel is legally valid, with a particular focus on the exemption for F-35 jet parts.

Revised September 2024, the UK temporarily suspended about 30 out of 350 arms export licenses to Israel following a review that revealed the risk of those arms possibly breaching international humanitarian law. However, the government carved out an exception for F-35 jet components, citing the importance of the F-35 global program to international security.

Critics argue that the UK is breaking both domestic and international law by allowing parts to be supplied to Israel through various channels, despite the International Court of Justice's findings suggesting a plausible risk of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The UK provides approximately 15% of the components for Israel's F-35 fighter jets.

A recent report by the Palestinian Youth Movement, Progressives International, and Workers for a Free Palestine has added new significance to the case. The report suggests that F-35 parts are still being sent directly to Israel as of March 2025, contrary to the government's claim about not shipping the parts directly to Israel.

Representing these organizations, Walker expressed, "We want to ensure the UK government urgently suspends all arms exports to Israel. The UK is complicit in Israel's genocide against Palestinians."

Besides Al-Haq and GLAN, several human rights organizations like Oxfam, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International are offering support by submitting written evidence. Oxfam is offering evidence regarding the destruction of water sanitation and health facilities caused by Israeli fire in Gaza. Akshaya Kumar, the director of crisis advocacy at Human Rights Watch, raised the idea of criminal responsibility, mentioning the Yugoslavia war crimes tribunal. Elizabeth Rghebi, the MENA advocacy director at Amnesty International USA, stressed that several states may be unwilling to observe international legal obligations when it comes to the structure of the F-35 program, making it incompatible with international law.

Gaza has been suffering since Israel's military assault began shortly after October 7, 2023. Hamas, the group ruling Gaza, led an incursion into southern Israel during this time, resulting in 1,139 deaths and the capture of over 200 individuals. Israel's aerial bombardment from jets, including F-35s, has resulted in widespread damage to civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, universities, libraries, mosques, and churches.

According to Emeritus professor Paul Rogers from the University of Bradford, Gaza's bombardment could be compared to some of the worst modern warfare examples' impact on civilians. The World Health Organization (WHO) has documented the severe damage inflicted on Gaza's healthcare sector, with destruction of hospitals, withholding of medical supplies, and the detention of doctors. Over 90% of housing units in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged, and 90% of school buildings require complete reconstruction or major rehabilitation.

The ongoing legal battle in the UK High Court, initiated by Al-Haq and GLAN, centers around the UK government's decision to send F-35 jet components to Israel, amidst the breaking news of Israel's airstrikes in Gaza.
In the court trial, the focus is on whether the UK's decision to exempt F-35 jet parts from a temporary arms export license suspension to Israel is legally valid, given the potential human rights violations and breaches of international law.
The recent report by the Palestinian Youth Movement, Progressives International, and Workers for a Free Palestine suggests that F-35 parts are still being sent directly to Israel, despite government claims to the contrary, which has added weight to the case before the court.
Human rights organizations, including Oxfam, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International, are offering support to this case, with concerns that the F-35 program's structure may be incompatible with international law, potentially leading to crimes against humanity in war-and-conflicts zones such as Gaza.