Legal Challenge to UK Arms Exports to Israel Revived in High Court
A legal challenge to UK arms exports to Israel was reignited in the High Court on Tuesday, shedding light on the government’s decision-making process regarding the sales since October. The case, initially filed in December by Palestinian human rights organisation Al-Haq and UK-based Global Legal Action Network (Glan), was dismissed in February but has now been granted an expedited judicial review hearing scheduled for October.
Charlotte Andrews-Briscoe, a lawyer with Glan, emphasized the urgency of the situation, citing the ongoing violence in the region. The Department for Business and Trade declined to comment due to ongoing legal proceedings.
During the proceedings, it was revealed for the first time publicly that the UK government decided on April 8 to continue arms sales to Israel, despite concerns raised by the Foreign Office regarding Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law. The decision was made just a day before Foreign Secretary David Cameron publicly addressed the issue during a press conference in Washington, DC.
The case has also brought to light the UK government’s reliance on assessments of Israel’s conduct from various sources, including UN bodies and human rights groups. This has raised questions about the transparency and accountability of the government’s decision-making process regarding arms sales to Israel.
Labour MPs Imran Hussain and Richard Burgon, who were present outside the High Court in support of the judicial review, called for greater transparency and reform in the UK’s arms regulatory system. They emphasized the need for the government to release all legal advice related to arms sales decisions and to ensure that rigorous controls are in place to prevent the use of UK arms in potential war crimes.