UK Rights Groups Slam High Court Ruling Allowing Arms Sales to Israel

Watan-Numerous human rights organizations have sharply criticized the United Kingdom’s High Court ruling on Monday, which determined that the lawsuit challenging the government’s continued arms sales to Israel falls outside the jurisdiction of the courts. Advocacy groups described the day as “a sad day for justice, accountability, and international law.”

In front of the court building following the ruling, several organizations—among them Al-Haq (Palestinian human rights organization), the UK-based Global Legal Action Network (GLAN), Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch—delivered statements to the media.

Yasmine Ahmed, UK Director of Human Rights Watch, condemned the court’s decision, stating:“Today is a sad day for justice, accountability, and international law—but even more so for the Palestinian people, who continue to face genocide and other atrocities.”

Doreen McCarthy, legal researcher at Al-Haq, said the ruling demonstrated the UK’s “complicity in the genocide being committed by Israel in Gaza,” adding:“This case is only the beginning of our struggle for justice and accountability.”

McCarthy called on nations to impose a total arms embargo on Israel, sever all diplomatic, political, economic, and trade ties, expel Israel from the United Nations General Assembly for committing genocide, and arrest and prosecute the perpetrators.

Sacha Deshmukh, Executive Director of Amnesty International UK, also voiced disappointment with the ruling:“While the court made clear it is not the body responsible for decisions on the export of F-35 aircraft parts, this does not absolve the executive or Parliament from their responsibilities.”

In 2024, Al-Haq and the Global Legal Action Network filed a lawsuit at the High Court against the UK government after repeated demands to suspend arms sales to Israel were ignored.