What You Need to Know: A Palestinian NGO, Al-Haq, has filed a legal challenge in London seeking to halt the export of parts for Israel’s F-35 fleet. The UK recently suspended 30 arms export licenses to Israel over humanitarian law concerns but excluded F-35 components, citing global security implications.
-Al-Haq claims the Israeli Air Force used F-35s to target civilian areas in Gaza, a charge the IDF denies, emphasizing Hamas’s use of human shields and underground tunnels.
-While the lawsuit is unlikely to stop Israel’s operations, it highlights mounting scrutiny over the F-35’s use and could complicate the supply chain for the global fleet.
The Biggest Threat to Israel’s F-35 Fleet Might be the Lawyers
Lawyers for a Palestinian non-governmental organization (NGO) filed a legal challenge in London that calls for the stop of exports of parts for the Lockheed Martin F-35 multirole fighter to the Middle Eastern nation.
The West Bank-based Al-Haq, took legal action against the UK’s Department for Business and Trade, filing a motion with London’s High Court. The group tracks “alleged rights violations by Israel and the Palestinian Authority,” Reuters reported.
UK Already Suspended Arms Export Licenses
In September, the UK’s government suspended approximately 30 arms export licenses to Israel, citing international humanitarian law concerns.
“The UK’s robust export licensing criteria states that the government will not issue export licences if the items might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of International Humanitarian Law,” the British government said in a statement. “The suspension will not change the UK’s steadfast support for Israel’s security, and the decision will be kept under review.”
Exempt from the export ban were components for the F-35 Lightning II, and London made clear that the components for the fifth-generation stealth fighter would be “excluded,” yet added, “except where going directly to Israel.”
The decision claimed, “Any suspension of those pooled parts is not possible without having a significant effect on the global F35 fleet with serious implications for international peace and security.”
Al-Haq has argued that London’s decision is “unlawful” and it had previously claimed that the F-35s were used by the Israeli Air Force (IAF) to strike civilian targets.
“The deployment of F-35s by Israel has been repeatedly confirmed since the current onset of attacks on Gaza, including their role in dropping 2000lb bombs on densely populated areas,” the NGO said in a September statement.
Lawsuit Unlikely to Stop Israel But Could Ground the F-35
Israel began its attack on Gaza following the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on southern Israel carried out by the Iran-back Hamas. According to Israeli figures, around 1,200 people were killed including hundreds of young people attending a musical festival. In addition, 250 hostages were taken.
Israel has continued to carry out combat operations in Gaza to root out Hamas, and much of Gaza City – the most densely occupied city in the Middle East – has been left in ruin. The IDF has claimed that Hamas often employs civilians and human shields and maintains operation centers under schools, hospitals, and other civilian buildings – all connected by a massive tunnel complex that has earned the nickname the “Gaza Metro.”
Human rights groups alleged that the F-35s with UK-made components have been linked to civilian casualties, and there have also been accusations that defense firms are somehow “profiting” from the conflict in Gaza. The IDF disputes the claims. However, last winter, a Dutch court halted the export of F-35 components from the Netherlands to Israel.
Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
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