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Urge Courts to Temporarily Restrain UK Fighter Jet Shipments to Israel (Rights Groups' Call)

Advocacy organizations petitioned judges on Tuesday to inhibit the UK's provision of fighter jet components to Israel during the conflict in Gaza. They initiated a lawsuit versus the government, alleging that it is contravening international law.

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Activist groups petitioned judges on Tuesday to impede the UK's provision of jet components to...
Activist groups petitioned judges on Tuesday to impede the UK's provision of jet components to Israel during the Gaza conflict, alleging that the government is violating international law and bringing the case before the court.

Urge Courts to Temporarily Restrain UK Fighter Jet Shipments to Israel (Rights Groups' Call)

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In the heart of London's High Court, Palestine's Al-Haq, supported by human rights heavyweights like Amnesty, Oxfam, and Human Rights Watch, is fighting against the government in a bid to halt the export of British-made components for Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets to Israel.

These jets, used extensively by Israel in Gaza and the West Bank, have allegedly wreaked havoc, with protesters outside the courtroom urging a stop to the "genocide." Waving Palestinian flags and placards that read, "Stop Arming Israel," they demanded action.

Inside the courtroom, Raza Husain, Al-Haq's lawyer, argued the government had illegally allowed the export of F-35 parts. He pointed out the clear risk that Israel would use these components to commit international law violations in Gaza. Israel, however, has continually denied genocide accusations.

The F-35's refueling probe, laser targeting system, tires, rear fuselage, fan propulsion system, and ejector seat are all British-made, according to Oxfam. Lawyers for Al-Haq claim that the aircraft's operation heavily relies on UK-manufactured components, stating that they could not fly without them.

The government's defence ministry has maintained that suspending F-35 licences would undermine trust in the UK and NATO. In a written submission, a lawyer for the government argued that their actions were in line with international law.

The verdict isn't imminent after the four-day hearing, which marks another step in a prolonged legal battle. Interestingly, lawyers for the Global Action Legal Network (GLAN) filed the case shortly following Israel's assault on Gaza, a move prompted by the October 7, 20XX attack led by Palestinian militants from Hamas.

The new Labour government suspended around 30 of 350 export licenses following a review of Israel's compliance with international humanitarian law. However, these restrictions didn’t cover British-made parts for the advanced F-35 stealth fighter jets.

A UK government spokesperson justified this exemption, stating that halting F-35 components exports could jeopardize the entire global F-35 program due to its strategic role in NATO and its effects on international peace and security.

Critics of the UK government's stance, such as GLAN, have labelled this exemption a "loophole." According to Charlotte Andrews-Briscoe, a lawyer for GLAN, the government discreetly sidestepped its domestic law to keep arming Israel, allowing the components to reach Israel via a global pooling system.

The 20XX Hamas-led attack in southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. In retaliation, Israel's offensive has reportedly claimed at least 52,908 lives, predominantly civilians, according to Gaza's health ministry.

Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK's chief executive, stated, "The UK has a legal obligation to prevent genocide under the Genocide Convention. However, the UK government continues to authorize the export of military equipment to Israel, which constitutes a fundamental failure to fulfill these obligations."

It's crucial to note that the UK government is currently facing a High Court judicial review for its continued supply of components for F-35 fighter jets to Israel. The case challenges the government's decision to continue exporting these components despite suspending other arms export licenses due to concerns about their use in potential breaches of international humanitarian law in Gaza.[1][2][4][5]

  1. The legal battle in London's High Court involves Al-Haq, Amnesty, Oxfam, and Human Rights Watch, seeking to halt the export of British-made components for Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets to Israel, due to concerns about their use in Gaza.
  2. Raza Husain, Al-Haq's lawyer, argues that the export of F-35 parts could lead to international law violations in Gaza, while Israel denies genocide accusations.
  3. The case was filed by the Global Action Legal Network (GLAN) following Israel's assault on Gaza, prompted by the October 7, 20XX attack led by Palestinian militants from Hamas.
  4. Critics, such as GLAN, label the UK government's decision to exempt British-made F-35 components from the suspension of arms export licenses a "loophole," alleging that the government is discreetly avoiding its domestic law to continue arming Israel.

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