BREAKING NEWS Palestinian human rights group Al-Haq loses High Court legal challenge against Government over exports of military equipment - including parts for F-35 fighter jets
A Palestinian human rights group has lost a High Court legal challenge against the Government over exports of military equipment to Israel, including parts for the F-35 stealth jet.
Al-Haq had taken legal action against the Department for Business and Trade over its decision to continue licensing exports of components for the multi-million pound fighter jets.
In September last year, the Government suspended export licences for weapons and military equipment following a review of Israel's compliance with international humanitarian law in the conflict amid its bombing campaign in Gaza.
But an exemption was made for some licences related to parts for F-35s, with lawyers for Al-Haq telling the High Court in May that this 'carve-out' was unlawful and 'gives rise to a significant risk of facilitating crime '.
The Government defended the challenge - with High Court judges today ruling in its favour.
At the hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice, Raza Husain KC, for Al-Haq, said the case came 'against the backdrop of human calamity' in Gaza, describing the war as a 'live-streamed genocide'.
In its claim to the High Court, Al-Haq said the 'carve out' was unlawful, alleging the government had misunderstood the applicable rules of international law - a claim denied by ministers.
The UK contributes components to an international defence programme that produces and maintains the F-35s - which are operated from the Royal Navy's two new aircraft carriers HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Queen Elizabeth.
Defence Secretary John Healey said a suspension would impact the 'whole F-35 programme' and have a 'profound impact on international peace and security'.
Al-Haq, which is supported by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Oxfam and others in its case, is seeking a court order to stop the supply of UK-made parts for the US warplanes.
Lawyers for Al-Haq said the government had known there was a 'clear risk' Israel would use the jet parts to commit violations of international law.
But government lawyer James Eadie said the UK's trade department had acted lawfully.
He added the court was not placed to rule on the legality of Israel's actions, and that attempting to do so could have a 'potentially deleterious' effect on 'foreign relations with a friendly state, namely Israel'.
In September 2024, the new Labour government announced it was suspending around 30 of 350 export licences following a review of Israel's compliance with international humanitarian law.
But the partial ban did not cover British-made F-35 parts, which include refuelling probes, laser targeting systems, tyres and ejector seats, according to Oxfam.
Healey has previously said suspending F-35 licences would 'undermine US confidence in the UK and NATO' but lawyers for Al-Haq have described the exemption as a 'loophole'.
UK-based NGO Campaign Against Arms Trade has said that licensing figures showed the government had made a 'shocking increase in military exports to Israel' in the months after its September 2024 announcement of partial suspensions.
It said the figures showed the UK approved £127.6 million ($170 million) in military equipment to Israel in single-issue licences from October to December 2024, saying this was more than for the period from 2020 to 2023 combined.
Most of the licences were for military radars, components and software, as well as targeting equipment, according to the NGO, which was involved in the case against the government.
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