GLAN senior lawyer @DearbhlaMinogue speaks to @owenjonesjourno about our legal case with @alhaq_org against UK weapons exports to Israel; a legal demolition of the UK gov's absurd attempt to justify the unjustifiable. Relevant threads below.

On the UK hiding behind warplane contracts with the US to avoid its more fundamental legal obligations on war crimes and genocide

https://x.com/Gocuinn/status/1926989734603038875?t=NILejsbTg2nIZ-LLUZBRtA&s=19

.@Davidlammy suspended trade talks with Israel due to “dark new phase in this conflict”. Suddenly concerned about displacement & starvation he condemned Israel minister Smotrich's “monstrous” call for “cleansing” Gaza

But at same time the Gov had a v different take in court!🧵.. In our challenge to arms exports we submitted over 100 pgs of statements from Israeli officials.

Here is just a flavour of what they said:

Gazans are “human animals”, “not innocent” & “2 m. Nazis”. That Israel must “burn” & ensure the “absolute destruction” Gaza.

Last week Foreign Sec @DavidLammy called on Netanyahu "end this blockade now and let the aid in"

In this article, UK's Trade Envoy to Israel @LordIanAustin breaks rank from holding Israel responsible for siege of Gaza & calls for more trade 1/ 🧵

politicshome.com/opinion/articl… Ignoring Israels use of mass starvation & contradicting the UK Gov, @LordIanAustin said "the quickest way to get the aid in & save lives is for Hamas to stop fighting and release the hostages" 2/

Last week @keir_starmer was asked about the UK’s ongoing supply of war plane parts to Israel. Starmer hid behind the US-run spare parts “pot” for the f35 which, somehow, insulates the UK from complicity in genocide

We learned a good deal about this “pot” in our legal action 🧵1/

https://twitter.com/ScotNational/status/1925155670862545109

2/
British manufacturers produce components—incl. laser targeting—used in F35 jets supplied to Israel & others. These parts enter a shared logistics system known as the “global spares pool.” After the US, the UK is the largest contributor of spare parts for F-35s to Israel

Today the Govt is trying to persuade court that they were v reasonable & thorough in their assessment of Israel's compliance with int'l law

But this is simply not true & worse, they seem to be dishonestly concealing important docs including one on deliberate sniping of kids 🧵 The Govt argues that Israel's targeting procedures are similar to UK's & claims that officials had not seen any evidence of deliberate attacks on women and children. We pointed to numerous examples, like this graphic video, which were already before them.

Our efforts to seek the arrest of Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar revealed not only shielding by UK officials but the silence of UK mainstream media especially the BBC. I thought it worth sharing some observations from the last number of days ... we have a problem:🧵 For context @MiddleEastEye first reported on Sa'ar's visit, the first minister to visit since the ICC arrest warrants were announced & over a month into the complete seige & starvation of Gaza's civilians which Sa'ar oversees. No national news coverage. middleeasteye.net/news/israel-fo…

🚨 BREAKING: The UK gov has been forced to review its decision to export F-35 warplane components after admitting in court that Israel is “not committed to complying” with international law. Here’s what’s happening and why it matters: 👇 glanlaw.org/single-post/uk… 1/ On November 25th, @GLAN_LAW & @alhaq_org sent a legal letter to the UK gov, demanding they halt all arms exports to Israel. This included the F-35 warplane program, which was exempted from an earlier suspension of arms export licences. theguardian.com/world/2024/nov…

Yesterday in the High Court, the UK's complicity in atrocity crimes in Gaza was exposed. The key points:

1/ In response to questioning, the government was forced to admit that “Israel is not committed to complying with international humanitarian law” by its own assessment 2/ The government waited 5 weeks to act on the assessment (made 24 July 2024) that UK weaponry were, at risk of being used in serious violations of internationa humanitarian law and that arms exports should be suspended.

Today in court we applied for more info on UK exempting F35 jet components from ban on exports to Israel. If reasoning is deficient we will apply for full suspension. Press statement:

Compelling evidence has emerged about the use of this jet in Gaza ...glanlaw.org/single-post/ch… Israel has used F-35s to drop 2000lb bombs on densely populated areas. Two days ago @DanWatchDK linked F35s to Israel’s 13 July attack on an Israeli-designated ‘safe zone’ in southern Gaza, killing 90 people & injuring at least 300. information.dk/indland/2024/0…