UK Court Greenlights F-35 Jet Parts Exports to Israel, Citing National Security Over Gaza Atrocity Risks
LONDON — In a landmark decision with profound implications for international arms control and Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe, Britain’s High Court ruled Monday that the UK government may continue exporting F-35 jet parts to Israel despite acknowledging they could facilitate violations of international humanitarian law in Palestinian territories. The ruling prioritizes geopolitical alliances and arms industry interests over mounting evidence of civilian devastation in Gaza.
The Core Conflict: Arms vs. Accountability
The case centered on a critical exemption carved out by the UK’s Labour government in September 2024. While suspending 30 arms export licenses over concerns Israel might breach international law in Gaza, ministers excluded components for F-35 stealth fighters—jets repeatedly documented in Israeli airstrikes that have killed tens of thousands. Palestinian rights group Al-Haq, backed by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Oxfam, argued this created a lethal loophole.
Judges Stephen Males and Karen Steyn dismissed the challenge in a 72-page ruling, framing it as a constitutional issue: Should courts force the UK to abandon a defense program “reasonably regarded by ministers as vital to the defence of the UK”? Their answer was a resounding no.
“Under our constitution, that acutely sensitive political issue is for the executive—accountable to Parliament—not the courts.”
— High Court Ruling
Why F-35 Parts Are “Too Big to Fail”
The F-35 program operates as a tightly woven global supply chain. The UK produces 15% of every F-35 jet, including critical components like:
- Laser targeting systems
- Ejector seats (Martin-Baker)
- Refuelling probes and tyres
Defence Secretary John Healey warned suspending exports would “undermine U.S. confidence in the UK and NATO” and disrupt a program involving 17 partner nations. Lockheed Martin, the jet’s manufacturer, testified isolating Israel-bound parts was logistically impossible.
UK’s Double Game:
While claiming ethical restraint, the UK approved £127.6 million ($170 million) in new military exports to Israel from October–December 2024—more than the total from 2020–2023 combined. Licenses covered targeting equipment, radars, and military software.
“A Green Light for Genocide”: The Outcry
Palestinian and human rights advocates condemned the ruling as a surrender to political expediency.
*”The UK courts have given a green light for the government to supply F-35 components used in Gaza, even amid acts of genocide. Palestinians are left without international law’s protections.”*
— Yasmine Ahmed, UK Director, Human Rights Watch.
Al-Haq’s General Director Shawan Jabarin vowed to appeal but noted the case had already forced unprecedented scrutiny of UK complicity: “We exposed government failings in facilitating crimes against Palestinians. This is just the start”.
The Chilling Subtext:
Government lawyers revealed in court that UK officials reviewed 413 incidents of potential Israeli violations in Gaza by September 2024. Only one—the killing of World Central Kitchen aid workers—was deemed a possible breach. Strikes killing exclusively Palestinians were never ruled violations
The Human Toll Behind the Legal Battle
As judges deliberated constitutional boundaries, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported over 56,500 Palestinian deaths since October 2023—most civilians, including 15,000 children. Hospitals, refugee camps, and water infrastructure lie in ruins.
Dr. Halima Begum of Oxfam GB highlighted the disconnect:
“The court prioritizes fighter jet supply chains over Palestinian lives. It’s unconscionable knowing F-35 parts destroy water supplies and bomb civilians”
Labour MP Richard Burgon demanded Parliament vote immediately on halting exports: “The government can’t hide behind courts anymore. It must decide: Continue complicity in genocide or act morally?”
While the High Court sidestepped the ethical questions, pressure is building:
- Al-Haq will appeal to the Supreme Court
- Parliamentary votes on arms sales loom as public outrage grows
- Global scrutiny intensifies on nations supplying F-35s, including the U.S. and Italy
The ruling exposes a harsh reality: When billions in defense contracts and strategic alliances hang in the balance, Gaza’s civilians become collateral damage in more ways than one.