Latest news with #Ramallah-based
Saudi Gazette
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
UK high court rejects challenge against selling military parts to Israel
LONDON — Human rights groups lost their legal challenge to the British government's decision to supply Israel with parts for F-35 fighter jets and other military equipment, in a ruling handed by London's High Court on Monday. The court, which looked into the allegation that the UK selling arms to Israel through a global pool was against the law, stated that it was not up to the courts to tell the government to withdraw from the group. The case was brought by the UK-based Global Legal Action Network and a Ramallah-based human rights group Al-Haq, in conjunction with Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Oxfam. They argued that there was a 'clear risk' that the UK's indirect supply of essential F-35 components to Israel — which have been linked to its recent military actions, particularly in Gaza — represented a breach of domestic and international law, accusing the British government of operating through a 'deliberate loophole". However, in a 72-page ruling, two High Court judges ruled that the issue was one of national security, given that the parts were considered vital to the defense collaboration, as well as the UK's security and international peace. 'Under our constitution, that acutely sensitive and political issue is a matter for the executive, which is democratically accountable to parliament and ultimately to the electorate, not for the courts," stated Justices Stephen Males and Karen Steyn. The court said that the components were manufactured in the UK, before being sent to assembly lines in the US, Italy and Japan, which supply partners — including Israel — with jets and spare parts. Although the government suspended 30 out of 350 export licenses for equipment sent to Israel — which included licenses for helicopters and drone parts — in September 2024, licenses related to components of F-35 fighter jets were exempt from the suspension. Compared with major arms suppliers such as the US and Germany, British firms sell a relatively small amount of weapons and components to Israel. The Campaign Against Arms Trade non-profit group estimates that the UK supplies about 15% of the components in the F-35 stealth combat aircraft, including its laser targeting system. — Euronews
Euronews
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Euronews
UK rejects challenge against selling military parts to Israel
Human rights groups lost their legal challenge to the British government's decision to supply Israel with parts for F-35 fighter jets and other military equipment, in a ruling handed by London's High Court on Monday. The court, which looked into the allegation that the UK selling arms to Israel through a global pool was against the law, stated that it was not up to the courts to tell the government to withdraw from the group. The case was brought by the UK-based Global Legal Action Network and a Ramallah-based human rights group Al-Haq, in conjunction with Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Oxfam. They argued that there was a 'clear risk' that the UK's indirect supply of essential F-35 components to Israel — which have been linked to its recent military actions, particularly in Gaza — represented a breach of domestic and international law, accusing the British government of operating through a 'deliberate loophole". However, in a 72-page ruling, two High Court judges ruled that the issue was one of national security, given that the parts were considered vital to the defence collaboration, as well as the UK's security and international peace. 'Under our constitution, that acutely sensitive and political issue is a matter for the executive, which is democratically accountable to parliament and ultimately to the electorate, not for the courts," stated Justices Stephen Males and Karen Steyn. The court said that the components were manufactured in the UK, before being sent to assembly lines in the US, Italy and Japan, which supply partners — including Israel — with jets and spare parts. Although the government suspended 30 out of 350 export licenses for equipment sent to Israel — which included licenses for helicopters and drone parts — in September 2024, licenses related to components of F-35 fighter jets were exempt from the suspension. Compared with major arms suppliers such as the US and Germany, British firms sell a relatively small amount of weapons and components to Israel. The Campaign Against Arms Trade non-profit group estimates that the UK supplies about 15% of the components in the F-35 stealth combat aircraft, including its laser targeting system.
Broadcast Pro
5 days ago
- Business
- Broadcast Pro
Vox Cinemas to screen ‘Thank You For Banking With Us' in Qatar
The film is a joint German-Palestinian production that delves into themes of female empowerment and familial struggle. Vox Cinemas in Qatar will organise three screenings of Palestinian filmmaker Laila Abbas's first feature film, Thank You For Banking With Us, from June 26 to 28 at 7 pm. The drama explores themes of female empowerment through the story of sisters Mariam and Noura, who, after their father's death, devise a plan to secure a large sum of money he left behind. Their scheme aims to outmanoeuvre their brother, who is legally entitled to half of the inheritance. Laila Abbas described the film as a narrative about the strength of womanhood and the importance of emotional and physical unity among women. 'It's a story about sisters who, having endured their own tragedies and heartbreaks, come together to become stronger,' she said. Thank You for Banking With Us! is a joint German-Palestinian production, written, directed and produced by Abbas through her Ramallah-based company Young Oak Productions. Co-produced by Hanna Atallah of Palestine Cinema Days and Roshanak Behesht Nedjad of Berlin's In Good Company Films, the film is being handled for worldwide sales and distribution by MAD World. MAD Solutions and Lagoonie Film Production, the Cairo and Riyadh-based production entity, have also teamed up to co-produce Thank You for Banking With Us! Thank You for Banking With Us! has received support thus far from the El Gouna Film Festival in 2018 through four $10,000 grants from ART, Cedars Productions, O Three Productions and Metafora respectively. Moreover, it won the In-Development Award from the CineGouna Platform and was supported by the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture as well as the Doha Film Institute's 2023 edition of the Qumra Initiative. With additional funding from German film funds (Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, and the Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg), and the Hubert Bals Plus Europe of International Film Festival Rotterdam, Thank You for Banking With Us! stands as a testament to the power of collective artistic vision. Notably, it was also among the winners of the Red Sea Fund's third cycle.
Express Tribune
5 days ago
- Health
- Express Tribune
Israeli fire kills West Bank teenager
The Palestinian health ministry said Israeli troops shot dead a 15-year-old boy in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, the second teenager killed there in three days. "The child Rayan Tamer Houshiyeh was killed after being shot in the neck by soldiers in the town of Al-Yamoun, northwest of Jenin," the Ramallah-based ministry said. Earlier Wednesday, the Palestinian Red Crescent said that its teams had handled "a very critical case" in Al-Yamoun involving a teenager, before pronouncing him dead. The army told AFP that it was "looking into" the events in Al-Yamoun.
Roya News
5 days ago
- Roya News
Four killed, including teenager in West Bank 'Israeli' violence
The Palestinian health ministry said four people were killed in two separate incidents in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, including a 15-year-old boy who it said was shot by 'Israeli' troops. It said the teenager was killed in the northern West Bank town of Al-Yamoun, while three other unnamed people died in a separate clash in the southern village of Kafr Malik. The 'Israeli' military said it opened fire after intervening in a clash between 'Israeli' settlers and Palestinians in Kafr Malik. The Ramallah-based health ministry said in a statement: "The child Rayan Tamer Houshiyeh was killed after being shot in the neck by soldiers" in Al-Yamoun, northwest of Jenin. Earlier Wednesday, the Palestinian Red Crescent said that its teams had handled "a very critical case" in Al-Yamoun involving a teenager, before pronouncing him dead. The ministry later said three people died in the village of Kafr Malik in the south of the territory in an "attack" by settlers. In a statement it reported "three martyrs and seven injuries (including one critical) as a result of the settlers' attack". It did not identify those killed. The Red Crescent earlier reported that a 30-year-old man suffered a "serious head injury" in Kafr Malik, northeast of Ramallah. An 'Israeli' army spokesperson said in a statement that forces intervened in Kafr Malik in the evening after "dozens of Israeli civilians set fire to property" there, which led to stone-throwing by Palestinians and 'Israelis'. "IDF and police forces were dispatched to the area and acted to disperse the friction," it said. "Subsequently, several terrorists opened fire from within the village and threw stones at the forces, who responded with live fire toward the source of the shooting and the stone-throwers," it claimed. "Hits were identified, and it appears that there are several wounded and fatalities." Stone-throwing lightly injured an 'Israeli' officer and five Israelis were arrested, the statement added. Teenagers killed Reacting to the reports, Palestinian Vice-President Hussein al-Sheikh accused settlers of acting "under the protection of the Israeli army". "We call on the international community to urgently intervene to protect our Palestinian people," he added, in a message on X. The Al-Yamoun incident marked the second time a teenager has been reported killed in the West Bank in two days. On Monday, the health ministry said 'Israeli' fire killed a 13-year-old it identified as Ammar Hamayel, also in Kafr Malik. Earlier this month, the army confirmed it had killed a 14-year-old who threw rocks in the town of Sinjil. In a similar incident in April, a teenager who held US citizenship was shot dead in the neighbouring town of Turmus Ayya. The 'Israeli' military claimed it had killed a "terrorist" who threw rocks at cars. 'Israel' has occupied the West Bank since 1967, and violence in the territory has soared since October 7, 2023. Since then, 'Israeli' troops or settlers have killed at least 941 Palestinians, according to the health ministry. Over the same period, at least 35 'Israelis' have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during 'Israeli' military operations, according to 'Israeli' figures.
