THERE is clear evidence British weapons are contributing to war crimes in Gaza, campaigners outside the High Court said on Tuesday as the government went on trial to defend its continued supply of arms to Israel.

The case — brought by Palestinian human rights group Al-Haq and Britain-based Global Legal Action Network — challenges the government’s decision to continue exporting components for F-35 jets, described by its US manufacturer Lockheed Martin as “the most lethal” fighter jet in the world.

Last September, the government enforced a partial ban on arms exports to Israel, suspending 30 out of 350 licences, after admitting there was a “clear risk” they could be used to violate international law.

But it carved out an exception for F-35 components, arguing that they are part of a global supply programme and important to international security.

Campaign Against the Arms Trade said that British industry manufactures 15 per cent of each jet, which have dropped 2,000lb bombs on “safe zones” in Gaza.

The government said the parts would not be sent directly to Israel, but allows them to be supplied via the global spares pool and F-35 partner countries, a move lawyers argue breaches international and domestic law.

Raza Husain KC, for Al-Haq, said the loophole “gives rise to a significant risk of facilitating crime.”

In written submissions, the barrister said: “In just over 18 months, Israel has decimated an entire society.

“That Israel has acted in this way is demonstrable and incontrovertible.

“What is happening in Gaza is a live-streamed genocide.”

In the government’s submissions, Defence Secretary John Healey was quoted saying that suspending the components would affect the whole supply programme and “undermine US confidence in the UK and Nato.”

Sir James Eadie KC, on behalf of the government, also argued that part of the case was not to be decided by the court, as it is unable to decide whether Israel has breached international law obligations.

Oxfam and Amnesty International, as well as Human Rights Watch, are intervening in the case. The hearing is due to run until Friday.

Ahead of the hearing, protesters gathered outside the Royal Courts of Justice.

Among them was a masked figure of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer denying Israel’s atrocities, holding a placard with the words: “What Genocide?”

Amnesty International UK’s chief executive Sacha Deshmukh said: “We think that there’s such clear evidence of the use of weapons parts from the UK being used in war crimes, including in genocide.

“Last summer, we welcomed that the then new UK government did ban the export of some UK arms parts.

“But we don’t believe that there’s credibility to the arguments that they’ve made for why there should be continued export of arms, including, in particular, the F-35 parts that come from the UK.

“Until this case reaches its judgment, right now as we speak there there are significant human rights violations being delivered by British-made weapons and bombs.”

Speaking outside court, Labour MP Zarah Sultana said: “You’d think that a Prime Minister who was a human rights lawyer would know better, but I can tell you that is categorically untrue.

“Parliament has been misled by David Lammy, by Keir Starmer, who have told us that the weapons that are going to Israel are for defensive purposes, that F-35s are not directly going.”

Joining her was former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who said: “We’re here again, and just in case the British government and the Israeli government have missed the message: we are not going away.

“We are standing with the Palestinian people for as long as it takes.”

Last week, research by Palestinian Youth Movement, Progressive International and Workers for a Free Palestine found that Britain has exported 160,000 military items to Israel since October 2023, most of which were sent after Septembers’s partial export ban.

Save the Children wrote on X: “While the government defends their continued supply of lethal arms to Israel in court, children are being killed by bombs and bullets at an unprecedented rate.

“Children who survive air strikes are being injured so badly their limbs need to be amputated — often without anaesthetic, because there isn’t any left.

“Keir Starmer, David Lammy: history is watching you. Is this what you want your legacy to be?”