Hearing begins on Al-Haq’s challenge to UK government sale of F-35 fighter jet components to Israel
13 May 2025
Garden Court North’s Mira Hammad is among Counsel for Al-Haq at the High Court hearing, in the Royal Courts of Justice (pictured), London. Credit: Lazy Llama / Shutterstock.
Earlier today (13 May 2025), the hearing began on Palestinian human rights organisation Al-Haq’s challenge of the UK government’s continued sale of F-35 fighter jet components and other weapons to Israel.
Garden Court North’s Mira Hammad is among acting Counsel representing Al-Haq and the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) throughout the four-day hearing at the High Court of Justice in London.
As Claimant, Al-Haq seeks declarations that the Secretary of State for Business and Trade’s (SSBT) decision not to suspend all licenses for the sale of F-35 components to the Israel Defence Forces was unlawful.
Al-Haq also seeks an order requiring the SSBT, as Defendant, to review his decision not to suspend other licenses to Israel.
These claims are based on the grounds that Israel is not committed to complying with international humanitarian law in the current conflict in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT).
Human rights organisations Oxfam, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are supporting the claim as interveners.
Counsel will also argue that there is a clear risk that any military item exported from the UK to Israel might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law in Gaza. F-35 jets have been used extensively by the Israeli military in ongoing attacks on Gaza.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has found plausible risk of genocide being committed against Palestinians in Gaza.
On 2 September 2024, the UK government decided to suspend exports of certain weapons to Israel. However, it decided to continue to export F-35 fighter jet components based on the claim that disruption to the F-35 supply chain would damage NATO’s security.
The lawfulness of the UK government’s decision will be examined throughout the hearing, which concludes on Friday (16 May 2025).
Mira is acting on a Counsel team comprising Phillippa Kaufman KC, Raza Hussain KC, Blinne Ni Ghralaigh KC and Eleanor Mitchell of Matrix Chambers; Zac Sammour and Aliya Al-Yassin of 11 Kings Bench Walk; Admas Habteslasie of Landmark Chambers; Catherine Drummond of Three Verulam Buildings; Rayan Fakhoury and Aislinn Kelly-Lyth of Blackstone Chambers; Jagoda Klimowicz of Brick Court Chambers; Courtney Grafton at 20 Essex Chambers; and Rebecca Brown of 2 Temple Gardens.
Al-Haq is represented by Dearbhla Minogue, Charlotte Andrews-Briscoe, Jennine Walker, George Collecott and Sicelo Ngwenya at the GLAN, supervised by Alice Hardy at Bindmans.
Additional media
New Internationalist – Will the UK government have to stop arms sales to Israel?
Reuters – UK export of F-35 parts to Israel unlawful, Palestinian NGO tells court
The Guardian – UK’s F-35 exports more important than stopping genocide, lawyers to argue
For further information, please contact Alex Blair, Communications Manager at Garden Court North Chambers: ablair@gcnchambers.co.uk
