LONDON (Dispatches) – Legal and human rights groups challenging the British government in the High Court say the UK has breached its legal obligations by continuing to license arms sales to the Zionist reigme as it continues its offensive on Gaza.
In a case, Palestinian human rights organization Al-Haq and the UK-based Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) say there is mounting evidence of Israeli violations of international law in its onslaught which has seen nearly 15,900 people killed, including at least 6,000 children.
Under its own arms exporting criteria, the government is obligated to suspend licenses for arms exports if it determines that there is a clear risk that British weapons might be used in such violations.
The groups say, based on their own assessment of evidence they have compiled, the Zionist regime’s actions have “long passed this threshold of risk”.
“It’s utterly untenable and irrational for the government to conclude that no such risk exists and continue to allow arms sales to Israel,” said Siobhan Allen, a senior lawyer with GLAN.
Ahmed Abofoul, legal research and advocacy officer at Al-Haq, said the UK “must demonstrate its compliance with its obligations and responsibilities under international law in all situations”.
“There is no place for double standards, selectivity and hypocrisy in respecting and adhering to the rule of international law.”
Their case, if successful, would block all licenses and stop the transfer of any UK arms to the Zionist regime.
The Department for Business and Trade does not comment on legal proceedings. But a department spokesperson told Middle East Eye that the situation in the occupied Palestinian Territories is being monitored “very closely”.
“We can and do respond quickly and flexibly to changing international circumstances,” they said. “All licenses are kept under careful and continual review and we are able to amend, suspend, refuse or revoke licenses as circumstances require.”
This is the most significant legal challenge to UK arms exports since the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) took the government to court in 2016 over its arm sales to Saudi Arabia given their possible use in the war in Yemen.
The Court of Appeal in June 2019 ruled in CAAT’s favor after hearing evidence that the government had ignored past Saudi-led coalition war when deciding whether UK arms might be used in breach of international humanitarian law.