Firms sending arms to Israel could be complicit in abuses, UN experts
The experts said in a press statement that, in line with recent calls from the Human Rights Council and independent UN experts for states to stop the sale, transfer, and transfer of weapons, ammunition, and other military equipment to Israel, arms manufacturers—such as Caterpillar, General Electric, and Lockheed Martin—should end such transfers, “even if they are carried out under existing export licenses.”
The independent experts stated that by sending weapons, spare parts, components, and ammunition to Israeli forces, these companies risk complicity in severe violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.
They stated that these risks increase in light of the recent decision taken by the International Court of Justice, which ordered Israel to immediately halt its military offensive in Rafah “after it recognized genocide as a reasonable risk,” and also the request made by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants for Israeli leaders regarding Allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
In this context, continued arms transfers to Israel may be viewed as knowingly assisting with operations that violate international human rights and humanitarian law and may result in people benefiting from such assistance,” the experts said.
Experts also pointed to the responsibility of financial institutions that invest in these arms companies and said that they are called upon to take the necessary measures. They stated that failure to stop or reduce its business relationships with arms manufacturers who transport weapons to Israel could shift from being directly linked to human rights violations to contributing to them, with repercussions of complicity in possible atrocity crimes.
Among the experts who issued the statement were Reem Al-Salem, Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences; Michael Fakhry, Special Rapporteur on the right to food; Farida Shahid, Special Rapporteur on the right to education; Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967.
On the other hand, the British newspaper reported that activists sent a warning letter to the managers of 20 arms manufacturers in Britain, warning that they may face criminal liability for failing to prevent war crimes if their companies continue to sell military equipment to Israel.
Activists also considered that the British government’s continued permitting of arms sales to Israel does not exempt the managers of these companies from criminal responsibility.
It is noteworthy that the United Nations Human Rights Office confirmed – yesterday, Wednesday – that Israeli forces may have repeatedly violated the laws of war and did not distinguish between civilians and combatants in the war on the Gaza Strip, which Israel rejected and described these results as flawed.
Israel previously rejected being accused by the International Criminal Court of committing genocide in Gaza, describing it as “false allegations.
