Date: 30 / 06 / 2009  Time:  21:46
Bethlehem - Ma’an -

An attempt to stem the tide of weapons into Israel was thwarted as a UK court denied Saleh Hassan permission to appeal a decision declining to reveal justifications for UK arms sales to Israel.

The case, Saleh Hassan v UK Secretary for Trade and Industry, requested the UK government clarify its position on arms-related licensing agreements with Israel. The court case hoped to compel the British government to make public its methods in satisfying its own legal criteria that material sold under the licensing agreements not be used in the commission of human rights abuses in occupied Palestinian areas.

The case was being tried by UK Public Interest Lawyers (PIL) in cooperation with Al-Haq, a Palestinian Human Rights organization. It was initiated in November 2007 and rejected, but heard by the Court of Appeal in February 2008.

According to Al-Haq, the Court of Appeal unfortunately determined in November 2008 that “the subject matter is generally sensitive, such that unguarded publication is likely to be on occasions damaging. Parliamentary scrutiny, with a possibility of receiving information in closed session, is thus to be seen as preferable.”

An appeal of this decision to the House of Lords was denied last week.

Saleh Hassan, on whose behalf the case was filed, had British weapons used against him "for internal repression" against Palestinians, according to an earlier statement.