A coalition of human rights organisations has taken the UK government to court over its continued export of weapons components to Israel, accusing it of violating international law during the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The case, brought by the Palestinian rights group Al-Haq and supported by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Oxfam, and others, centers on British-made parts used in Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jets.
These jets have been deployed by Israel in military operations in both Gaza and the West Bank.
Al-Haq is seeking a judicial ruling to halt the export of these components, which include critical systems like the laser targeting system, refueling probe, tires, and parts of the fuselage and ejector seats.
According to Oxfam and legal advocates from the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN), the F-35 jets are reliant on a steady supply of UK-produced parts and could not remain operational without them. The groups argue that allowing these exports, especially amid rising civilian casualties in Gaza, is a failure on the part of the UK to meet its legal obligations under international law — particularly the Genocide Convention.
The legal case follows decisions by the UK government in December 2023 and again in early 2024 to continue approving arms sales to Israel, even as the humanitarian toll in Gaza mounted. In September 2024, following a government review, around 30 arms export licenses were suspended — but key F-35 components were excluded from the ban.
A UK government spokesperson defended the decision, stating that halting F-35 parts exports could jeopardise the broader F-35 program, which is critical to NATO and global security. The spokesperson also emphasised that the UK is committed to upholding its domestic and international legal obligations and had already suspended licenses where there was a risk of serious violations of international humanitarian law.
However, GLAN and other rights groups argue that the exemption for F-35 components creates a significant loophole. Because of the global pooling nature of the F-35 supply chain, UK-made parts can still reach Israel indirectly, they claim.
Charlotte Andrews-Briscoe, a lawyer for GLAN, criticised the government for what she called a deliberate departure from UK law to continue supporting Israel’s military actions. “The government has chosen to facilitate the use of multi-ton bombs in one of the world’s most densely populated areas,” she said.
The war was sparked by the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel, which killed 1,218 people, mostly civilians. Since then, over 52,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s health ministry, including nearly 2,750 deaths reported since the end of a ceasefire in mid-March.
Amnesty International UK’s chief executive, Sacha Deshmukh, said the UK is failing in its responsibility to prevent genocide. “Despite overwhelming evidence of atrocities, the UK continues to send military support to Israel,” he said. “This is not just negligence — it’s complicity.”
Al-Haq’s director, Shawan Jabarin, echoed the sentiment: “The UK is not a neutral observer. It is involved — and that involvement must be challenged and held accountable.”
The High Court hearing is expected to last four days. A ruling date has not yet been confirmed.