The World Unspun

How to stop the arms trade

May 12, 2025
Katie Fallon is the Advocacy Manager at Campaign Against the Arms Trade, while Charlotte Andrews-Briscoe is a lawyer at Global Legal Action Network, tackling UK arms exports to Israel. Saeed Taji Farouky represents Palestine Action, and Maaz Salih Idres is a peace builder from Sudan. They discuss the arms trade's devastating impact on global conflicts and the importance of grassroots activism. The conversation highlights legal challenges, UK complicity, and the urgent need for accountability and international solidarity in the fight against the arms trade.
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INSIGHT

UK Arms Trade System Flaws

  • The UK government actively participates in the arms trade, exporting substantial weapons despite legal obligations.
  • Licensing opacity lets them deny full involvement in lethal exports like F-35 components to Israel.
INSIGHT

Legal Challenges to Arms Exports

  • UK's arms export decisions to Israel violate domestic and international law but continue under political pretexts.
  • The exception made for F-35 fighter jets illustrates state complicity in ongoing mass civilian harm in Gaza.
ANECDOTE

Palestine Action's Direct Impact

  • Palestine Action directly targets Israeli arms production in the UK disrupting key factories to damage supply chains.
  • Their actions financially impact Elbit through factory shutdowns and lost government contracts.
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