Australia Reviews Military Export Permits to Israel

Australia is reviewing 66 military export permits to Israel, assessing their compliance with international obligations and human rights considerations amid the ongoing Gaza conflict. The review, prompted by an appeal from the Australian Centre for International Justice, evaluates each permit individually as the government maintains it has not supplied weapons to Israel since the conflict escalated. Critics, including the Greens party, have called for a complete cessation of military trade with Israel, citing concerns over human rights violations. The Australian government, while defending its role in the global F-35 supply chain, has faced backlash for a lack of transparency regarding the specifics of the permits. Since 2019, Australia has issued approximately 247 permits related to Israel, with 66 currently active. The review resembles similar actions taken by the UK government regarding its arms licenses to Israel.