Rights Groups Challenge UK Arms Sales to Israel

Rights groups Al-Haq and the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) are seeking a court order to halt UK arms exports to Israel following the International Criminal Court's (ICC) issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. They argue that the UK is 'arming suspected war criminals' amid allegations that these leaders have committed war crimes, including the intentional starvation of civilians in Gaza. The campaigners are particularly focused on F-35 jet parts, emphasizing the UK's continued exports despite acknowledging the risk of these components being used to breach international humanitarian law. The UK government has until November 29 to respond to the legal challenge, with previous court hearings revealing concerns over the implications for UK-US relations if arms sales were halted. GLAN's lawyer stated that the situation raises serious moral questions about the UK's role in the conflict. The groups are advocating for a comprehensive arms embargo on Israel to prevent further violations against Palestinians.