UK admits in court that Israel is not committed to complying with international humanitarian law

18 November: In the High Court today, GLAN and Al-Haq exposed several failures in the government’s decision-making over arms exports to Israel:

• During proceedings in our case, the government was forced to admit that “Israel is not committed to complying with international humanitarian law” by its own assessment. 

• GLAN and Al-Haq can reveal the government waited 5 weeks to act on its own assessment (made on 24 July 2024) that UK weaponry were at risk of being used in serious violations of IHL and that exports should be suspended. Between 24 July and 2 September, at least 1,716 Palestinians were killed by Israel in Gaza, according to UNOCHA. 

• In making their latest decision, the government weighed the harm to civilians in Palestine against the operation of the global F-35 programme; it chose political expediency over the lives of Palestinians.  The government explicitly said, ‘The risk to the UK/US relationship’ was a key factor in deciding to continue with F-35 exports. 

  
  

A further decision will be made by the court in early January when a final, extended hearing date will be set.

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