14.05.2025 20:01
Shawan Jabarin, the Director of the Ramallah-based human rights organization Al-Haq, which intervened in the lawsuit against the UK for continuing arms sales to Israel, stated that the UK is violating its national and international obligations. Jabarin said, "It is time to stop arming, aiding, and abetting the crimes and events taking place in Palestine."
The trials of the lawsuit filed last year by the Ramallah-based human rights organization Al-Haq and the UK-based Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) continue at the High Court in London, on the grounds that the UK government ignored demands to "suspend all arms sales licenses to Israel, including parts for F-35 fighter jets."
EXPLAINED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LAWSUIT Shawan Jabarin, the Director of Al-Haq, explained the significance of the lawsuit against the UK government in front of the courthouse. Jabarin noted that the UK suspended some of the arms sales licenses provided to Israel last year, reminding that the F-35 fighter jets, which are in Israel's possession, were not included in this partial arms embargo.
Al-Haq Director Shawan Jabarin "IT'S TIME TO STOP AIDING AND ABETTING THIS CRIME COMMITTED IN PALESTINE" Jabarin stated that the lawyers handling the case revealed that the F-35s were used in Israel's genocide in Gaza, saying, "Our call from here is that if the F-35 (fighter jets) were used in the genocide in Gaza and in the killing of civilians, it is time to stop arming, aiding, and abetting this crime and the events occurring in Palestine." Jabarin, who called on the High Court, emphasized that the UK government has obligations under international law.
"THE UK'S OWN LAWS SAY YOU CANNOT AID A PLACE WHERE CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY ARE COMMITTED" Al-Haq Director Jabarin continued: "(The UK government) must respect its responsibilities and international obligations; they are not acting according to these standards. At the same time, they must also respect their own laws because their own laws state, 'You cannot aid a place where international crimes, war crimes, and crimes against humanity are committed; you cannot assist.'"
Jabarin pointed out that they filed a lawsuit against the UK government using legal and peaceful means, stating, "We hope and wish that the judges will act according to their legal and humanitarian conscience." The trials are expected to conclude on Friday, with the decision to be announced in writing at a later date.
WHAT HAPPENED? Al-Haq and GLAN had applied to the High Court against the UK last year due to the continuous disregard of their written requests to suspend arms sales to Israel. The UK government was requested to halt all arms sales licenses to Israel, including parts for F-35 fighter jets. The application shared details regarding Israel's policies of attacking civilians, civilian infrastructure, buildings where civilians take refuge such as hospitals, bakeries, schools, food depots, and water reserves, as well as forced displacement and starving people. In the first hearing of the case held on November 18, 2024, the plaintiffs' requests for precautionary measures were heard.
International civil society organizations such as Oxfam, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch also presented evidence to the court that the UK is failing to fulfill its obligations under international law by continuing arms sales.