DayofPal– More than 200 civil society organizations from around the world have urged countries involved in the production of F-35 fighter jets to “immediately halt all arms transfers to Israel,” citing concerns over the aircraft’s use in violations of international law.
According to The Guardian, a letter signed by 232 organizations was sent on Monday to government ministers in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, the United States, and the United Kingdom, as the war in Gaza marks its 500th day.
Signatories include prominent NGOs such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and Oxfam, with coordination led by the UK-based Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT).
The letter states: “The past 15 months have made it brutally clear that Israel is not committed to upholding international law. Partners in the F-35 program have failed—either individually or collectively—to prevent Israel from using these jets to commit serious violations of international law.”
It further argues that the F-35 program structure makes it impossible to enforce arms control regulations on end users, rendering it incompatible with international law.
The F-35s fighter jet is manufactured by a global consortium led by U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin, with British companies supplying 15% of the components as part of an international agreement that includes Israel.
The UK government is currently facing legal challenges over arms export licenses granted to Israel, including spare parts for F-35s, with accusations of complicity in war crimes.
Similar legal actions have been initiated in the United States, the Netherlands, Denmark, Canada, and Australia.
In September 2024, the UK government announced the suspension of 30 out of 350 arms export licenses to Israel, citing “clear risks” of their use in serious violations of international law.
However, it excluded spare parts for F-35s, arguing that suspending these licenses would disrupt the international program. The government justified the continued transfer of spare parts on “broader peace and global security” grounds.
The ongoing war in Gaza, which used F-35s, has resulted in over 48,000 deaths, with some researchers estimating a 40% higher toll than the figures reported by the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
The United Nations Satellite Centre reports that 69% of Gaza’s infrastructure has been damaged, and most of the population has been forcibly displaced.
The letter’s signatories warn that the “fragility” of the current ceasefire underscores the risk of further violations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. They accuse participating nations of either failing to meet their legal obligations or deliberately claiming that the F-35 program structure prevents effective arms control, making the entire program incompatible with international law.
All F-35 program participants, except the United States, are signatories to the Arms Trade Treaty, which requires countries to prevent the transfer of military equipment if there is a clear risk of violations of international humanitarian law.
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