THE government has been given until Friday to respond to the latest High Court escalation over its supply of weapons to suspected war criminals. 

Global Legal Action Network (Glan) and Palestinian human rights organisation Al-Haq informed the government of its intention to file for “interim relief” or an emergency injunction over its failure to revoke arms export licences to Israel.

The organisations first launched legal action over the licences last December.

During proceedings in the High Court last Monday, the government was forced to admit that, by its own assessment, “Israel is not committed to complying with international humanitarian law.” 

Authorities accepted there was a “clear risk” that components for lethal F-35 fighter jets would be used to violate international law, but chose to continue exporting them anyway.

The latest legal escalation comes after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defence minister Yoav Gallant and al-Qassam Brigades commander Ibrahim al-Masri last week.

The ICC said that there were reasonable grounds to believe Mr Netanyahu and Mr Gallant were criminally responsible for acts including murder, persecution and starvation as a weapon of war as part of a “widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population of Gaza.”

The deadline for the government to reply is Friday November 29 at 4pm, after which time the legal action proceeds.

Glan lawyer Charlotte Andrews-Briscoe said: “As of Thursday, the UK is now arming suspected war criminals who have been indicted by the world’s pre-eminent criminal court. 

“For 13 months, Glan and Al-Haq have argued that weapons sales to Israel are unlawful.

“When will it be enough? Does the UK government have any red lines?”

Al-Haq spokesperson Zainah El-Haroun said: “The latest arrest warrants issued against Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and former defence minister Gallant for the commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity add to the insurmountable evidence that British weapons, particularly F-35 components, are being used to commit international crimes, including genocide. 

“A two-way arms embargo on Israel should be implemented immediately, to prevent British arms being used by indicted war criminals for further serious violations against Palestinians.”