Latest news with #KarenSteyn
Saudi Gazette
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
UK high court rejects challenge against selling military parts to Israel
LONDON — Human rights groups lost their legal challenge to the British government's decision to supply Israel with parts for F-35 fighter jets and other military equipment, in a ruling handed by London's High Court on Monday. The court, which looked into the allegation that the UK selling arms to Israel through a global pool was against the law, stated that it was not up to the courts to tell the government to withdraw from the group. The case was brought by the UK-based Global Legal Action Network and a Ramallah-based human rights group Al-Haq, in conjunction with Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Oxfam. They argued that there was a 'clear risk' that the UK's indirect supply of essential F-35 components to Israel — which have been linked to its recent military actions, particularly in Gaza — represented a breach of domestic and international law, accusing the British government of operating through a 'deliberate loophole". However, in a 72-page ruling, two High Court judges ruled that the issue was one of national security, given that the parts were considered vital to the defense collaboration, as well as the UK's security and international peace. 'Under our constitution, that acutely sensitive and political issue is a matter for the executive, which is democratically accountable to parliament and ultimately to the electorate, not for the courts," stated Justices Stephen Males and Karen Steyn. The court said that the components were manufactured in the UK, before being sent to assembly lines in the US, Italy and Japan, which supply partners — including Israel — with jets and spare parts. Although the government suspended 30 out of 350 export licenses for equipment sent to Israel — which included licenses for helicopters and drone parts — in September 2024, licenses related to components of F-35 fighter jets were exempt from the suspension. Compared with major arms suppliers such as the US and Germany, British firms sell a relatively small amount of weapons and components to Israel. The Campaign Against Arms Trade non-profit group estimates that the UK supplies about 15% of the components in the F-35 stealth combat aircraft, including its laser targeting system. — Euronews
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
UK High Court Rules F-35 jet parts exports to Israel are lawful despite humanitarian concerns
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel London's High Court has ruled that the UK government's decision to continue exporting components for F-35 fighter jets to Israel is lawful, even though the court acknowledged the risk that these parts could be used in ways that breach international humanitarian law in legal challenge was brought by Al-Haq , a Palestinian human rights group, with support from organizations including Amnesty International, Oxfam , and Human Rights Watch. They argued that supplying F-35 parts violated Britain's obligations under international law, especially the Geneva Conventions, given evidence of civilian harm in the ongoing conflict in UK government had partially suspended 30 out of 350 arms export licenses to Israel in September 2024, following concerns about their possible use in breaches of international law. However, licenses related to F-35 components were exempted. The government defended this carve-out by citing the UK's participation in a global supply chain for the F-35, a program involving the US, Israel, and NATO partners. Officials argued that halting these exports would disrupt international security cooperation and undermine allied confidence in the UK's their 72-page ruling, Justices Stephen Males and Karen Steyn stated that the matter was 'a highly sensitive and political question' best left to the executive branch, which is accountable to Parliament and the electorate, not the courts. The judges concluded that the UK's role in the multinational F-35 program is a matter of national and international security, and not for judicial rights groups expressed disappointment and are considering an appeal, but for now, the UK's exports of F-35 jet parts to Israel will continue under the current policy.
New York Post
19 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
UK court rejects Palestinian human rights group's claim UK is illegally arming Israel
The UK government's decision to give Israel parts for F-35 fighter jets and other military equipment wasn't illegal — despite knowing the components could be used to aid the Jewish state's war in Gaza, London's High Court ruled Monday. Al-Haq, a Palestinian human rights group in the West Bank, had accused the British government of breaking domestic and international law in its decision to make F-35 parts exempt when it suspended some arms export licenses last year. At the time, the government suspended roughly 30 of 350 export licenses for equipment — including parts for helicopters and drones — that was deemed to be for use in the Gaza war because of a 'clear risk' the items could be used to violate international humanitarian law. Advertisement An exemption, though, was made for some licenses related to components of F-35 fighter jets. Israeli jets en route to conduct airstrikes in Iran last week. IDF/GPO/SIPA/Shutterstock Al-Haq was quick to take legal action over what they claimed was a 'deliberate loophole' — arguing the UK shouldn't keep exporting parts given the government's own assessment of Israel's compliance with international humanitarian law. Advertisement The government noted the components manufactured in the UK were sent to assembly lines in the US, Italy and Japan that supply partners — including Israel — with jets and spare parts. In dismissing the group's challenge, High Court Judges Stephen Males and Karen Steyn ruled that the issue was one of national security because the parts were considered vital to that defense collaboration with the other countries. They added it wasn't up to the court to tell the government to withdraw from the group just because of the possibility the parts would be handed over to Israel and possibly used to violate international humanitarian law. 'Under our constitution that acutely sensitive and political issue is a matter for the executive, which is democratically accountable to Parliament and ultimately to the electorate, not for the courts,' the judges wrote in the hefty 72-page judgment. Advertisement Israeli jets in formation during last week's war with Iran. IDF/GPO/SIPA/Shutterstock The government said the ruling showed it had some of the most rigorous export rules in the world. 'We will continue to keep our defense export licensing under careful and continual review,' a spokesperson said. Al-Haq, meanwhile, said it was disappointed with the ruling but stopped short of saying whether it would seek permission to appeal. Advertisement 'Despite the outcome of today, this case has centered the voice of the Palestinian people and has rallied significant public support, and it is just the start,' Shawan Jabarin, general director of Al-Haq, said in a statement. 'We continue on all fronts in our work to defend our collective human values and work towards achieving justice for the Palestinians.' With Post wires
Straits Times
20 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
UK court rejects Palestinian NGO's case over F-35 parts to Israel
FILE PHOTO: Israeli Air Force F-35 Lightning 'Adir' fighter jet lands at a location given as Nevatim Airbase after an aerial defense mission, in Israel, in this screen grab taken from a handout video released on April 14, 2024. Israel Defense Forces/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo LONDON - Britain's decision to allow the export of F-35 fighter jet components to Israel, despite accepting they could be used in breach of international humanitarian law in Gaza, was lawful, London's High Court ruled on Monday. Al-Haq, a group based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, had taken legal action against Britain's Department for Business and Trade over its decision to exempt F-35 parts when it suspended some arms export licences last year. The United Kingdom had assessed that Israel was not committed to complying with international humanitarian law in Israel's ongoing military campaign. But Britain did not suspend licences for F-35 components, which go into a pool of spare parts which Israel can use on its existing F-35 jets. Britain said suspending those licences would disrupt a global programme that supplies parts for the aircraft, with a knock-on impact on international security and "undermine U.S. confidence in the UK and NATO." Al-Haq had argued at a hearing last month that the decision was unlawful as it was in breach of Britain's obligations under international law, including the Geneva Convention, but the High Court dismissed the group's challenge. Judges Stephen Males and Karen Steyn said the case was about whether the court could rule that Britain must withdraw from the international F-35 programme, which was "a matter for the executive ... not for the courts". According to Gaza officials, Israel's bombardment has killed more than 56,000 Palestinians while displacing almost the whole population of more than 2 million and plunging the enclave into a humanitarian crisis. Israel launched its campaign in response to the October 2023 attack in which Hamas-led fighters killed some 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. 'DIPLOMATIC CONSEQUENCES' The court said Britain's business minister Jonathan Reynolds was "faced with the blunt choice of accepting the F-35 carve out or withdrawing from the F-35 programme and accepting all the defence and diplomatic consequences which would ensue". Al-Haq said it was disappointed with the ruling, but that its legal challenge had contributed to Britain's partial suspension of arms export licences in 2024. Jennine Walker, a lawyer at the Global Legal Action Network which supported Al-Haq's case, said outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London: "We are currently analysing the judgment for grounds of appeal. "This is a regrettable setback after such a long battle for Al-Haq and all the Palestinians who have been following the case. However, this is not the end." Charity Oxfam, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, which all intervened in the case, also criticised the ruling. A British government spokesperson said: "This (ruling) shows that the UK operates one of the most robust export control regimes in the world. We will continue to keep our defence export licensing under careful and continual review." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
a day ago
- Politics
Judges rule against human rights groups' claim that the UK is illegally arming Israel
LONDON -- Human rights groups lost their legal challenge Monday to the British government's decision to supply Israel with parts for F-35 fighter jets and other military equipment. The Palestinian group Al-Haq and the U.K.-based Global Legal Action Network alleged that the government broke domestic and international law and was complicit in atrocities against Palestinians by allowing essential components for the warplanes to be supplied to Israel. The government last year suspended about 30 of 350 existing export licenses for equipment deemed to be for use in the conflict in Gaza because of a 'clear risk' the items could be used to violate international humanitarian law. Equipment included parts for helicopters and drones. But an exemption was made for some licenses related to components of F-35 fighter jets, which are indirectly supplied to Israel through the global spare parts supply chain and have been linked to bombing the Gaza Strip. While rights groups argued the U.K. shouldn't continue to export parts through what they call a 'deliberate loophole' given the government's own assessment of Israel's compliance with international humanitarian law, the government said the parts were distributed to a collaboration involving the U.S. and six other partners to produce the jets. Components manufactured in the U.K. are sent to assembly lines in the U.S., Italy and Japan that supply partners — including Israel — with jets and spare parts, the court said. Two High Court judges ruled that the issue was one of national security because the parts were considered vital to the defense collaboration and the U.K.'s security and international peace. They said it wasn't up to the courts to tell the government to withdraw from the group because of the possibility the parts would be supplied to Israel and used to violate international humanitarian law in Gaza. 'Under our constitution that acutely sensitive and political issue is a matter for the executive, which is democratically accountable to Parliament and ultimately to the electorate, not for the courts," Justices Stephen Males and Karen Steyn wrote in a 72-page judgment. Compared with major arms suppliers such as the U.S. and Germany, British firms sell a relatively small amount of weapons and components to Israel. The Campaign Against Arms Trade nonprofit group estimates that the U.K. supplies about 15% of the components in the F-35 stealth combat aircraft, including its laser targeting system.
