Palestinian NGO cannot appeal UK court ruling over F-35 parts to Israel

A Palestinian rights group was on Wednesday refused permission to appeal a ruling that Britain lawfully allowed F-35 fighter jet components to be indirectly exported to Israel, despite accepting they could be used to breach international humanitarian law.

Al-Haq, a group based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, unsuccessfully challenged Britain's Department for Business and Trade over its decision last year to exempt F-35 parts when it suspended export licences for arms that could be used in the conflict in Gaza.

The group last month asked the Court of Appeal for permission to challenge a lower court ruling that found Britain's decision was lawful and dismissed Al-Haq's challenge.

The Court of Appeal refused permission, saying in its ruling that it was a matter for the government to decide whether national security issues relating to the supply of F-35 components outweighed an assessment that Israel was not committed to complying with international humanitarian law.