The UK High Court ruled that the export of F-35 fighter jet components to Israel is lawful, even as it conceded that these parts might be used in breaches of international humanitarian law in Gaza. The decision comes after prolonged litigation and offers relief to British ministers concerned about risks to the Lockheed Martin consortium. Judges emphasized that the matter is a political, rather than judicial, issue, asserting that the government is accountable to Parliament and the electorate for its decisions regarding national defense and international relations.
The issue is whether it is open to the court to rule that the UK must withdraw from a specific multilateral defence collaboration which is reasonably regarded by the responsible ministers as vital to the defence of the UK and to international peace and security, because of the prospect that some UK-manufactured components will or may ultimately be supplied to Israel.
The judges ruled that the acutely sensitive and political issue was a matter for the executive which is democratically accountable to parliament and ultimately to the electorate.
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