London Refers British Arms Export to Israel to Judiciary

Pro-Palestine demonstrations outside an arms manufacturer in London. (dpa) 
Pro-Palestine demonstrations outside an arms manufacturer in London. (dpa) 
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London Refers British Arms Export to Israel to Judiciary

Pro-Palestine demonstrations outside an arms manufacturer in London. (dpa) 
Pro-Palestine demonstrations outside an arms manufacturer in London. (dpa) 

British arms export licenses to Israel are under growing scrutiny over claims that international law has been broken in the war in Gaza, with a court set to rule on the divisive matter.

In a joint statement on Wednesday, a group of 16 international humanitarian and rights organizations revealed that a large proportion of the arms used by Israel come from Britain.

Israel has been in a state of war with Hamas since the unprecedented attack by the Palestinian movement on October 7.

The contentious issue surfaced on Wednesday when an opposition Labor lawmaker accused Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of having "the blood of thousands of innocent people on his hands."

Foreign Secretary David Cameron, who is visiting the Middle East, has been criticized for a lack of transparency over his role in helping sales.

In London, a coalition of legal advocacy groups is asking the High Court to expedite a judicial review of the UK government's decision to keep selling military parts and arms to Israel.

Britain's strategic licensing criteria state that weapons should not be exported when there is a clear risk they could be used in international humanitarian law violations.

The court claimants, led by Palestinian rights group Al-Haq and including the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN), argue that the government is ignoring its own rules in the Gaza conflict.

"This case is a test for the credibility of the national arms control system, including the role of the courts in monitoring that," Dearbhla Minogue, GLAN's senior lawyer, told Agence France Presse.

The UK case comes after a Dutch court ruled last month that the Netherlands can continue to deliver F-35 parts to Israel and threw out a case brought by human rights organizations.

The court in The Hague said that supplying parts was primarily a political decision that judges should not interfere with.

Documents submitted this month by government lawyers in the London case highlighted internal deliberations over the licenses and how Israel is conducting the war.

A January 12 summary showed foreign ministry officials advising on the licenses had "serious concerns" about aspects of the Israeli military campaign.

It said officials were "unable to make a conclusive determination of Israel's record of compliance, to date" with international humanitarian law.

The 22-page legal filing revealed that International Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch -- who is ultimately responsible for the licenses -- nonetheless decided on December 18 not to suspend or revoke any licenses.

Instead, she opted to keep them "under careful review."

That was in line with a recommendation six days earlier from Cameron.

He "was satisfied that there was good evidence to support a judgment that Israel is committed to comply with" humanitarian law, according to the legal submission.

Dearbhla Minogue, GLAN's senior lawyer, hit out at that assessment.

"The UK's defense has made it clear that they have not stood back and looked at all of the evidence objectively," she added.

Meanwhile, Cameron has been accused of evasion for failing to disclose his advice and foreign office concerns when lawmakers quizzed him on January 9.

During questions about whether government lawyers had shared assessments that Israel had breached international law in Gaza, he appeared unsure.

"I cannot recall every single bit of paper that has been put in front of me. I look at everything," Cameron said.

He eventually answered "no" before adding: "It is not really a yes or no answer."



NATO Appoints Outgoing Dutch PM Rutte as Its Next Secretary-General 

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (R) and Netherlands' Prime Minister Mark Rutte hold a press conference at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, on April 17, 2024. (AFP)
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (R) and Netherlands' Prime Minister Mark Rutte hold a press conference at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, on April 17, 2024. (AFP)
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NATO Appoints Outgoing Dutch PM Rutte as Its Next Secretary-General 

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (R) and Netherlands' Prime Minister Mark Rutte hold a press conference at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, on April 17, 2024. (AFP)
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (R) and Netherlands' Prime Minister Mark Rutte hold a press conference at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, on April 17, 2024. (AFP)

NATO allies on Wednesday selected outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as NATO's next boss, as the war in Ukraine rages on its doorstep and uncertainty hangs over the United States' future attitude to the transatlantic alliance. 

Rutte's appointment became a formality after his only rival for the post, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, announced last week that he had quit the race, having failed to gain traction. 

"The North Atlantic Council decided to appoint Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as the next Secretary-General of NATO, succeeding Jens Stoltenberg," NATO said in a statement. 

"Mr. Rutte will assume his functions as Secretary-General from 1 October 2024, when Mr. Stoltenberg’s term expires after ten years at the helm of the Alliance," it added. 

After declaring his interest in the post last year, Rutte gained early support from key members of the alliance including the United States, Britain, France and Germany. 

Others were more reticent, particularly Eastern European countries which argued the post should go to someone from their region for the first time. 

But they ultimately rowed in behind Rutte, a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a staunch ally of Ukraine. 

Stoltenberg said he warmly welcomed the selection of Rutte as his successor. 

"Mark is a true transatlanticist, a strong leader, and a consensus-builder," he said. "I know I am leaving NATO in good hands." 

NATO takes decisions by consensus so Rutte, who is bowing out of Dutch politics after nearly 14 years as prime minister, could only be confirmed once all 32 alliance members gave him their backing. 

Rutte will face the challenge of sustaining allies' support for Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion while guarding against NATO's being drawn directly into a war with Moscow. 

He will also have to contend with the possibility that NATO-skeptic Donald Trump may return to the White House after November's US presidential election. 

Trump's possible return has unnerved NATO leaders as the Republican former president called into question US willingness to support other members of the alliance if they were attacked.