High court case to test whether ministers have illegally supplied Israel parts that may be used to attack Palestinians

Preserving the British role in the F-35 jet fighter programme takes precedence over the need to comply with UK laws on arms export controls, or any UK obligation to prevent a genocide in Israel, UK government lawyers will argue in court this week.

  • Saleh@feddit.orgEnglish
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    2 days ago

    He added that it would “undermine US confidence in the UK and Nato at a critical juncture in our collective history and set back relations”, and could cause “adversaries” to “take advantage of any perceived weakness”.

    Parts of the minister’s evidence on behalf the defence ministry was provided in public, but defence ministry officials have claimed any decision to restrict supply of F-35 parts is a matter for the F-35 executive steering board, a body that only acts by consensus. It added more than 1,000 F-35s currently operate with a high proportion undertaking either UK or Nato operations.

    Making such judgments about national security, the government has argued, is primarily to be a matter for the executive.

    In other words the UK government says it has no control over its own security and instead sees itself at the mercy of the US and following their whims. As Russia is the most serious adversary currently threatening the UK and there is extensive ties between the Trump administration and Russia, this argument is self contradictory at best and treacherous at worst.

    If this was about national security the UK government would take urgent steps to limit its dependence on a foreign government that is evidently influenced by the main military adversary of the UK.