Australia’s arms export comes under scrutiny. Is Canberra ‘complicit’ in Israel-Gaza war?

There are also existing permits that allowed Australian manufacturers to supply weapons parts for the manufacture of F-35 jets. Israel has used F-35 jets in its Gaza offensive.

For months, researchers, humanitarian groups, war protesters and Australia’s third-largest political party, the Australian Greens, have sought clarity over Australia’s exports of weapons and parts to Israel.

Australian defence officials said in senate hearings on June 5 and 6, they had granted eight new permits to export military equipment to Israel since the war began, although they said they were for Australian defence items that required repair by Israel manufacturers.

Since 2019, Australia has issued around 247 permits that relate to Israel, with 66 still active. They include exports of goods that require repair, as well as weapons and dual use goods.

The hearings also revealed Australia provides more than 70 critical components to the production of F-35 combat jets. Contracts to deal exports of weapon parts from more than 75 Australian companies into the Joint Strike Fighter global supply chain, which manufactures F-35 jets, were valued at roughly A$4.6 billion (US$4 billion).

“We are part of a consortium on the F-35 capability. That is all exported to a central repository in the US … it doesn’t relate specifically to the conflict in Israel,” said Hugh Jeffrey, deputy defence secretary of strategy, policy and industry.

“I think the question of whether or not the F-35 is being employed in the crisis in Israel is not material to the question of whether or not we grant an export permit.”

Jeffrey said, however, the permits were consistent with international legal obligations.

Since the war began, Canberra has denied supplying weapons directly to Israel,