UK court rejects Palestinian Group’s appeal over F-35 jet parts export to “Israel”

LONDNON, Nov. 13 (YPA) -A British court rejected an appeal by a Palestinian human rights organization seeking to challenge a ruling that found indirect exports of British-made F-35 fighter jet components to “Israel” to be lawful.

The Ramallah-based organization Al-Haq had sought to overturn a decision by the UK Department for Business and Trade, which last year excluded F-35 components from a suspension of arms export licenses that could be used in the war in Gaza.

Last month, Al-Haq asked the Court of Appeal for permission to challenge a lower court ruling that found the government’s decision lawful. The  court had previously dismissed the organization’s case.

The court refused permission to appeal, reiterating that it was for the UK government to determine whether national security interests outweighed concerns raised by the foreign secretary regarding Israel’s compliance with humanitarian law.

When the UK suspended some arms export licenses in 2024, it concluded that Israel was not complying with international humanitarian law in its military campaign in Gaza, which health officials in the enclave say has killed more than 68,000 Palestinians.

However, Britain did not suspend export licenses for British-made components used in the F-35 program, which are classified as spare parts that “Israel” can use in its existing fleet of fighter jets.

The High Court in London had earlier dismissed the case in June, ruling that then–Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds “faced a direct choice between accepting the F-35 program exemption or withdrawing from the program and bearing all the resulting defense and diplomatic consequences.”

@E.Y.M