High court case to test whether ministers have illegally supplied Israel parts that may be used to attack Palestinians

Preserving the British role in the F-35 jet fighter programme takes precedence over the need to comply with UK laws on arms export controls, or any UK obligation to prevent a genocide in Israel, UK government lawyers will argue in court this week.

  • gibmiser@lemmy.worldEnglish
    42·
    2 days ago

    Won’t somebody think of the shareholders!

    That used to be kinda funny… doesn’t feel funny anymore.

    • latenightnoir@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      20·
      2 days ago

      There was a time when I was certain that this sort of people will inevitably see that money will not save anyone from anything. Given how things are evolving, however, I’ve become convinced that they’ll still be thinking of profit margins as the planet literally starts boiling and their skin starts to melt.

      • Ooops@feddit.orgEnglish
        16·
        2 days ago

        You are wrong… they need to increase their profit margins even more, so they can afford the neccessary protection for themselves while they watch everyone else’s skin melt.

      • Diplomjodler@lemmy.worldEnglish
        7·
        2 days ago

        Wasn’t it Lenin that said, when we hang the second last capitalist, the last one will sell us the rope to do it?

      • floofloof@lemmy.caEnglish
        7·
        2 days ago

        I watched Don’t Look Up for the first time the other day, and it’s an unfortunately very plausible illustration of what you describe.

        • Mycatiskai@lemmy.caEnglish
          4·
          2 days ago

          It was good and I’d love to watch that movie again but it was too real. The only problem with our reality is that the people who would find the problems like in that movie have probably already been laid off.

  • Saleh@feddit.orgEnglish
    17·
    2 days ago

    He added that it would “undermine US confidence in the UK and Nato at a critical juncture in our collective history and set back relations”, and could cause “adversaries” to “take advantage of any perceived weakness”.

    Parts of the minister’s evidence on behalf the defence ministry was provided in public, but defence ministry officials have claimed any decision to restrict supply of F-35 parts is a matter for the F-35 executive steering board, a body that only acts by consensus. It added more than 1,000 F-35s currently operate with a high proportion undertaking either UK or Nato operations.

    Making such judgments about national security, the government has argued, is primarily to be a matter for the executive.

    In other words the UK government says it has no control over its own security and instead sees itself at the mercy of the US and following their whims. As Russia is the most serious adversary currently threatening the UK and there is extensive ties between the Trump administration and Russia, this argument is self contradictory at best and treacherous at worst.

    If this was about national security the UK government would take urgent steps to limit its dependence on a foreign government that is evidently influenced by the main military adversary of the UK.

  • rottingleaf@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    2 days ago

    I take it blocking sale to Turkey isn’t discussed even in this context. Just in the one of baddy Erdo not playing nice.

    Still. The fact that the inquiry itself happens is telling.