Over 230 global civil society organisations have called on governments producing F-35 fighter jets to immediately halt all arms transfers to Israel, including the F-35 jets.
The F-35 jet programme partners include Australia, Canada, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, UK and US (lead partner).
Civil society organisations around the world have taken legal action to hold their governments accountable for the F-35 programme, and complicity in Israel’s crimes in Gaza.
Israel has used F-35 jets in its bombardment of Palestinians in Gaza. An F-35 was used in July 2024 to drop three 2,000 lb bombs in an attack on a so-called “safe zone” on Al-Mawasi in Khan Younis, killing 90 Palestinians.
Australian-manufactured parts and components, including those produced by sole-source providers, are being used in F-35 fighter jets, raising serious concerns about Australia’s potential involvement in the atrocities unfolding in Gaza over the past 16 months. Despite these risks, Australia’s arms export regime remains highly secretive, with minimal transparency surrounding the decision-making process for export permit approvals.
Despite all partners to the F-35 programme having legal obligations to halt arms exports to Israel, governments continue to allow the transfer of F-35 parts to Israel. Incoherent positions have been put forward by governments including stating that arms licences to Israel have been suspended while allowing transfers under existing licences or supplying “indirectly” via the US or other F-35 partners.
A global movement of legal cases taken by civil society has grown across countries in the F-35 programme, seeking to hold their government accountable for the transfer of F-35 jets and components to Israel. These include Australia, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and the UK.
The organisations, while welcoming the limited temporary ceasefire, say that the past 15 months have illustrated with devastating clarity that Israel is not committed to complying with international law. It is therefore inexcusable for our governments to continue to provide arms transfers to Israel, potentially implicating themselves in war crimes and crimes against humanity.
In December 2024, Amnesty International’s investigation concluded that Israel has committed and is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, and Human Rights Watch reported that ‘Israeli authorities are responsible for the crime against humanity of extermination and for acts of genocide’.
In light of these concerns, the implementation of an immediate two-way arms embargo is the bare minimum necessary to ensure that Australia does not, directly or indirectly, contribute to violations of international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Shawan Jabarin, General-Director of Al-Haq:
“Israeli airstrikes, including the use of 2,000-pound bombs dropped from F-35 fighter jets, have devastated Gaza, repeatedly targeting densely populated areas, alleged “safe zones”, and even shelters for displaced Palestinians, during Israel’s ongoing genocidal onslaught. The overwhelming evidence of Israel’s grave violations of international law makes the F-35 partner nations—all of which are signatories to the Geneva Conventions, with the majority also having ratified the Arms Trade Treaty—complicit in these actions.”
As Israel carries out its genocidal practices across the occupied Palestinian territory, with Palestinians in the West Bank subject to an ongoing, violent military onslaught and Gaza’s population still being attacked and denied essential aid despite a ceasefire, it is imperative that states uphold their binding duties under international law. They must collectively ensure that F-35 jets and components no longer reach Israel, halting further complicity in these international crimes.”
Gearóid Ó Cuinn, Director of GLAN (Global Legal Action Network) which is supporting Al-Haq’s arms exports challenge in the UK said:
“This May the UK High Court will consider this controversial exemption for war plane parts. The UK Government’s position is that Israel can commit whatever depraved atrocity it pleases in Palestine, and nothing will stop the supply of British war plane components. In taking this indefensible position the UK Government has shamelessly put US interests and arms contracts above its own international legal obligations.”
Yasmine Ahmed, UK Director of Human Rights Watch:
“It is unconscionable that the UK government continues to supply weapons that end up going to the Israeli government, especially for the F35 which has played a pivotal role in Israel’s brutal bombing campaign.
“The government must close the loopholes and end its legal gymnastics- failure to do so displays either a misunderstanding of the government’s legal obligations or a wilful disregard for them.”
Rolien Sasse, Executive Director at Dutch peace organisation PAX:
“In line with the ground-breaking court’s decision that the Dutch government must stop all F-35 related transfers to Israel, all counties must now stop their complicity in fuelling Israeli atrocities against Palestinians.”
Vibe Klarup, Secretary General of Amnesty International Denmark said:
“Our field workers and regional office have documented several Israeli bombings in Gaza that do not distinguish between civilian and military targets and wipe out entire families. The attacks are disproportionate and in violation of the rules of war. Denmark must in no way contribute to making these illegal attacks on civilians possible. Therefore, we now want the court to assess whether Denmark fulfils its obligations. The lawsuit in Denmark filed by four civil society organisations against the state for its continued arms export to Israel will begin on 25th February 2025.”
Henry Off, Board Member and Lawyer at Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights (CLAIHR):
“In clear violation of its legal obligations, Canada continues to maintain its regulatory loopholes that allow components and parts to reach Israel’s F-35s indirectly through the United States. Whether sent directly or indirectly, these parts fuel Israel’s violations of international law in Occupied Palestine. The F-35 is a symbol of death and destruction. All F-35 programme partners must be held accountable and prevented from contributing to it.”
John Ramming Chappelle, US Advocacy & Legal Advisor for Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) said:
“Military aircraft have enabled a bombing campaign in Gaza that has made the area uninhabitable for Palestinian civilians. Warplanes manufactured and sustained by North American and European governments have facilitated the destruction that civilians have endured for more than a year. All governments involved in the production of F-35s must ensure that they are not contributing to devastating civilian harm and war crimes.”
Lara Khider, Acting Executive Director of the Australian Centre for International Justice said:
“Australian manufactured parts and components are being used on F-35 fighter jets, including parts and components manufactured by Australian “sole-source providers”. This raises grave concerns that Australian manufactured parts and components are involved in the atrocities we have seen unfold in Gaza over the last 16 months.
“The Australian arms export regime continues to be shrouded in secrecy, with a significant lack of transparency over the decision-making processes governing export permit approvals. An immediate two-way arms embargo is an essential bare minimum measure to ensure that Australia does not, directly or indirectly, contribute to violations of international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
Francesco Vignarca, Campaigns Coordinator for Rete Italiana Pace Disarmo (Italian Network for Peace and Disarmament)
“Italy’s role as a second-tier partner in the Joint Strike Fighter programme (and as the only country in Europe to host in its territory a final assembly facility for the F-35 fighter aircraft) raises great concern in the Italian civil society committed to Peace. In fact, there is a well-founded concern that the presence of the FACO (Final Assembly and Check Out) in Cameri (Northern Italy) could configure various levels of involvement in the supply of F-35’s spare parts and maintenance activities to Israel.
“Thus there is a risk that Italy is playing a role of complicity or facilitation towards Israel and its military with respect to the serious violations of international humanitarian law taking place in Gaza and the West Bank. Moreover, this would deny and nullify the decision taken by the Italian government in October 2023 to stop military supplies to Israel.”
Marte Hansen Haugan, President of Changemaker (Norway):
“The unwillingness to halt or pause the production of F-35 components reflects an interpretation of national and international law that excludes Palestinian lives. It is horrifying to know that Norway is enabling Israel to kill civilians in Gaza and the West Bank. For years, Norway has spoken in defense of international law and humanitarian principles—but words mean little without real action.”
“Military aircraft have enabled a bombing campaign in Gaza that has made the area uninhabitable for Palestinian civilians. Warplanes manufactured and sustained by North American and European governments have facilitated the destruction that civilians have endured for more than a year. All governments involved in the production of F-35s must ensure that they are not contributing to devastating civilian harm and war crimes.”
Katie Fallon, Advocacy Manager at Campaign Against Arms Trade said:
“The F-35 jet programme is emblematic of the West’s complicity in Israel’s crimes against Palestinians. These jets were instrumental in Israel’s 466 day bombardment of Gaza, in crimes that include war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Since the limited ceasefire the US government, and lead partner to the F-35 programme, has threatened Gaza with mass ethnic cleansing and forced displacement. This programme gives material and political consent from all Western partners, including the UK, for these crimes to continue.”
