No evidence has been seen that a genocide is occurring in Gaza or that women and children were targeted by the IDF, UK government lawyers have claimed, as a high court case opened into the handling of arms exports controls to Israel.
They also suggested there was no obligation placed on the UK to make other states comply with international humanitarian law but only to ensure that no breach occured within its jurisdiction.
The government is seeking to defend itself in a judicial review brought over allegations that it acted unlawfully in continuing to sell F-35 parts and components to a global pool, even though some of those components might be used by Israel in Gaza in a way that the government regards as a breach of international law.
Much of the case will turn on the extent to which international law places obligations in domestic law.
Let’s hold the UK government to its own words.
Official UK statement (13 Oct 2023):
Prime Minister deploys UK military to Eastern Mediterranean to support Israel (gov.uk, archiveve.today, archive.org)
The UK government claims its military deployment, including surveillance flights from Cyprus, is for “supporting civilians to leave Gaza.” However, this aligns with Israel’s efforts to forcibly relocate Palestinians from Gaza, which many legal experts argue could constitute a war crime or even ethnic cleansing under international law.