Britain’s high court has dismissed a case urging the suspension of UK arms sales to Israel.

The legal challenge against the UK Department for Business and Trade was launched in December by the Palestinian human rights organization Al-Haq and the UK-based Global Legal Action Network (Glan), the Guardian wrote. 

The organizations, which are seeking to overturn the court’s decision, applied for a judicial review of the government’s export licenses for the sale of British weapons capable of being used in Israel’s action in Gaza. 

In January, court documents revealed that Foreign Office legal advisers were unable to conclude that Israel was in compliance with international humanitarian law (IHL) in its bombardment of Gaza. On December 18, the government decided to continue arms sales licenses despite serious concerns expressed by Foreign Office officials about aspects of the Israeli assault against Hamas.

As a result, the court said that the criteria requiring the UK Department for Business and Trade to consider whether there is a risk the items might be used in a violation of international law must be “clear” and has to be “of a serious violation”.