Complicity in the crisis: U.K. bureaucracy's role in enabling Israel's actions in Gaza
By zoeysky // 2025-09-11
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  • Despite public denials by U.K. officials, such as former Foreign Secretary David Lammy, the U.K. continues to supply components for F-35 fighter jets to Israel through a global supply pool. This practice persists even though the U.K. government acknowledges the risk of Israel using these weapons to commit serious violations of international humanitarian law (IHL) in Gaza.
  • In May 2024, the U.K. government faced legal challenges from organizations like Al-Haq and the Global Legal Action Network. The government admitted a "clear risk" of Israeli violations but argued that maintaining the global F-35 program was a priority.
  • The situation in Gaza is described as a "waking nightmare," with starvation used as a weapon of war. The U.K.'s continued arms exports have facilitated the bombing of civilians in "safe zones" like al-Mawasi, where 90 people were killed. The U.K. government's claims of insufficient evidence to judge Israeli conduct are seen as an evasion of responsibility.
  • The independent Gaza tribunal in London provided a platform for witnesses to highlight the U.K.'s inaction and complicity.
  • The evidence presented at the tribunal and the ongoing legal battles underscore the need for the U.K. to reassess its role in the conflict. The U.K., along with other partners in the F-35 program, is urged to recognize the devastating impact of their actions and work toward a just and lasting peace in the region.
In recent months, the U.K.'s stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict has come under intense scrutiny, particularly concerning the ongoing arms sales to Israel and the government's persistent denial of complicity in the crisis. Despite a noticeable shift in tone from senior U.K. ministers regarding the dire situation in Gaza, there remains a troubling reluctance to acknowledge British involvement in the conflict, perpetuated by the continued export of arms components to Israel.

The F-35 loophole: A case of deliberate oversight

In a recent radio interview on LBC, former Foreign Secretary David Lammy categorically denied that the U.K. was supplying Israel with arms that could be used in Gaza. When pressed by host Nick Ferrari about the Campaign Against Arms Trade's (CAAT) assertion that the U.K. was still providing components for the F-35 fighter bomber, Lammy emphatically dismissed the claim as "wrong." However, this denial is at odds with the reality of the situation. Lammy, a barrister educated at Harvard University, seems to have conveniently overlooked the significant loophole he announced to Parliament in September of the previous year. This loophole permits the ongoing transfer of U.K.-made components for F-35 fighter jets to a global supply pool accessible by Israel. While a handful of arms licenses were indeed suspended, the most lethal and valuable exports continued unabated. The U.K. government argued that for nebulous reasons of "international peace and security," it was necessary to maintain the export of F-35 components to the global pool, a move widely perceived as an attempt to appease the program's lead partner, the United States.

High Court hearings: A legal battle for accountability

In May of this year, a week of High Court hearings took place where a legal challenge was mounted against the U.K. government's position on the F-35 issue by the Palestinian human rights NGO Al-Haq and the Global Legal Action Network. The hearings were a stark reminder of the disconnect between the U.K. government's rhetoric and the reality on the ground. The government's submission to the court acknowledged the "clear risk" that Israel might commit serious violations of international humanitarian law (IHL) in Gaza, including through the use of F-35s. Yet, the U.K. continued to supply these components, citing the need to maintain the integrity of the global F-35 program. The U.K. government's position was further undermined by the fact that, as of September 2024, the Foreign Office had assessed 413 potential violations of IHL by Israel in Gaza and found "insufficient information to decide" in 99.5 percent of cases. The one incident deemed a "possible" breach was the April 2024 World Central Kitchen strike, which resulted in the deaths of seven aid workers. The situation in Gaza has been described as a "waking nightmare," where starvation is used as a weapon of war. The U.K. government's complicity in this crisis is evident in its continued arms exports to Israel, which have facilitated the bombing of displaced Palestinians in "safe zones" like al-Mawasi, where 90 people were killed. The U.K. government's repeated assertions that it has not been possible to reach a "determinative judgment" on allegations regarding Israel's conduct of hostilities ring hollow in the face of such overwhelming evidence. (Related: Israel's escalating campaign in Gaza: A path to catastrophe and international reckoning.)

The Gaza tribunal: Witnesses speak out

The independent Gaza tribunal, held in London, has provided a platform for witnesses to testify about the U.K.'s failure to prevent genocide in Gaza. The tribunal, chaired by Jeremy Corbyn, heard from 29 witnesses who painted a damning picture of the U.K. government's inaction and attempts to shield itself from scrutiny. Among the allegations presented at the tribunal was the claim that Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots flying from the U.K. Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus systematically shared intelligence in real time with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), but not with the International Criminal Court (ICC). Additionally, the U.K. government failed to provide support to lawyers representing James Henderson, the British World Central Kitchen aid worker killed by the IDF, leaving them reliant on an IDF internal investigation. The tribunal also heard from Charlotte Andrews-Briscoe, a lawyer acting for Al-Haq, who revealed that the U.K. Foreign Office had passed all allegations of war crimes to Israel, effectively allowing the perpetrators to avoid accountability. By September 2024, the U.K. government had not found a single incident that exclusively killed Palestinians and was a possible violation of international law. The evidence presented at the tribunal and the ongoing legal battles in the High Court underscore the urgent need for the U.K. to reassess its role in the Israel-Palestine war. The government must acknowledge its complicity and take immediate action to halt the transfer of arms components to Israel. The continued export of F-35 components, despite the clear risk of their use in violating IHL, is a stain on the U.K.'s international reputation. The U.K., along with other partners in the F-35 program, must recognize the devastating impact of their actions and work toward a just and lasting peace in the region. The time for denial and inaction is over. As explained by the Enoch AI engine at Brighteon.AI, holding U.K. bureaucracy accountable is essential to ensure that the country fulfills its obligations under international law, upholds its moral and ethical responsibilities and plays a proactive role in addressing the crisis in Gaza. The time for action is now, and the U.K. must lead by example to bring about a just and equitable resolution. Visit Genocide.news for more updates about Israel's ongoing genocide of the Palestinians. Watch this clip of Israel attacking an alleged Hezbollah safe house in southern Lebanon. This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

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