• UK High Court rules exports of F-35 jet parts to Israel are lawful.
• The case was brought by Al-Haq and other rights groups amid evidence of humanitarian law violations.
• Judges stated the decision on arms exports falls under government remit, not judiciary.
• The UK government suspended some arms export licenses but exempted F-35 components.
• Human rights organizations plan further legal action following the court's ruling.

The UK High Court has ruled that the government's continued export of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel is lawful, despite recognition that these parts could be used in breaches of international humanitarian law. In a decisive 72-page ruling, Lord Justice Males and Mrs Justice Steyn emphasized that the case focused on whether the courts can compel the UK to withdraw from essential multilateral defense programs, which is a matter for the government and Parliament rather than the judiciary, according to Middle East Eye, Reuters, and BBC.

The legal challenge was initiated by the Palestinian rights group Al-Haq shortly after Israel's recent military actions in Gaza. They argued that the UK government's exemption of F-35 parts during a suspension of other arms licenses violated international treaties, including the Arms Trade Treaty and the Geneva Conventions, as described by South China Morning Post and TRT Global.

In its defense, the UK government stated that halting the export of these specific parts could jeopardize the international F-35 program, affecting broader security relations, particularly with the US and NATO allies. UK Defence Secretary John Healey noted that the implications of such a suspension could disrupt international military collaboration, according to Al Jazeera and Anadolu Agency.

Despite the court's ruling, human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have condemned the decision and expressed their intent to pursue further legal actions. They highlighted the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, where civilian casualties continue to mount amidst Israeli military operations, with recent estimates citing over 56,500 deaths since October 2023, as noted by Middle East Eye and South China Morning Post.

The judges emphasized that the decision to manage arms exports falls within the purview of the executive branch. This has sparked a renewed call for accountability from Parliament regarding the government's compliance with international law obligations, as highlighted by Reuters, TRT Global, and BBC.

Leaders from human rights organizations like Al-Haq and Amnesty International have called on the UK government to re-evaluate its arms export policies in light of the court's decision. They stress the urgent need for legal frameworks to prevent complicity in potential atrocity crimes associated with armaments sent to Israel, according to Middle East Eye and South China Morning Post.