Judicial review must be heard on how UK can sell F-35 parts to Israel, judge rules

An exemption was made for certain licences related to components of F-35 fighter jets. Photograph: Axel Schmidt/Reuters

A high court judge has ruled a judicial review must be quickly heard on government claims that national security entitles ministers to sell parts for F-35 jets to Israel even though Britain accepts that there is a risk they will be used in breach of international humanitarian law.

The hearing will most likely take place in May – nearly seven months after the Labour government made the contentious decision to carve out F-35 parts from the ban on arms exports to Israel.