Why was Oxfam involved in a court case on UK arms sales to Israel?

In 2024, Palestinian human rights group Al-Haq and the UK-based Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) filed a legal challenge to the UK government’s continued arms sales to Israel. The case is supported by the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians.

The case focused on the government’s decision to continue allowing the sale of parts for F-35 fighter jets, even though they have admitted that Israel is committing serious violations of international law in Gaza.

The UK has obligations under domestic and international law, to stop issuing licences for arms sales if there is a clear risk they might be used to commit serious violations of international law.

As a humanitarian organisation operating in Gaza, Oxfam provided evidence in this case at the High Court.

This included detailed information on the widespread destruction of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) infrastructure, evidence of attacks on humanitarian aid workers, and restrictions on vital humanitarian aid delivery.

Oxfam has a long history of speaking out against the sale of weapons that might be used to target civilians and destroy vital infrastructure in conflicts.

Previously, we campaigned against the UK's export of arms to Saudi Arabia for use in the Yemen conflict, including by supporting legal action against the government by Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT).

Oxfam has also been involved in cases challenging arms sales to Israel in the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium and Canada.

Even amid rising public concern and pressure, the UK continues to allow some arms sales. So, campaigning organisations are using various methods to keep pressure on the government to stop arms being sold to Israel. This includes taking legal action.

In 2024, Oxfam and others launched a petition in the Netherlands, that led to a court ordering the Dutch state to stop exporting F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel. Oxfam's evidence was a key factor in these cases.

Legal action can help to create change due to increased political and public pressure, or a legal ruling from the Court.

Oxfam campaigned for nearly twenty years to bring the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) into being in 2014, with the aim of preventing human suffering and putting people’s lives and safety before the profits of arms companies.

In this case, campaign organisations referred to the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria. This brings together all the obligations the UK must meet under domestic and international law – including those agreed within the ATT.

This case was heard in the High Court in the UK, which has the power to conduct judicial reviews. This means the Court reviewed the decision-making process of the UK government, and whether they acted unlawfully by continuing to export some arms to Israel.

The government defended its position by saying that halting arms exports would create risks to international peace and security.

Al-Haq and GLAN, with Oxfam support, argued that this approach was deeply flawed, and that political and economic priorities should not be able to override legal obligations.

The High Court ruled that it is for the UK government — rather than the courts — to decide whether national security concerns outweigh evidence that Israel is not complying with international humanitarian law (IHL). This ruling was upheld by the Court of Appeal.

The Court did not rule on whether the government’s “loophole” for continued arms sales, specifically F-35 components, is compatible with international law. Instead it found that it is not the Court's remit to judge the government’s policy in this regard.

This leads to a serious gap in accountability for government arms policy, and effectively closes pathways to legally challenge the government’s decisions on arms sales.

The ruling has been widely condemned by human rights groups, legal scholars, and UN bodies, all of which have concluded that Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to genocide.

Parliament is now under renewed pressure to introduce stricter democratic oversight of arms export licensing.

The Committee on Arms Export Control, who would have previously reviewed the government’s decisions on arms sales, has been dissolved. The existing Business and Trade Select Committee has failed to carry out any serious scrutiny of government arms exports. Oxfam and others are calling for this to change, especially in the wake of this terrible judgment.

The government needs to respect and uphold international law, and stop ALL current and new arms licenses while Israel keeps committing serious violations of international law. To not do so could leave the government open to complicity in war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

Here are a few ways you can take action and stay up to date:

• Find out more about UK arms sales to Israel
• Sign our petition calling on the UK government to stop ALL arms sales to Israel now
• You can learn more about UK arms sales to Israel from Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT)