TEL AVIV (Jerusalem Post) — Israel’s High Court of Justice on Monday, October 13, rejected a petition to ban arms sales to Azerbaijan as “lacking evidence” to justify a hearing on whether they have been used for war crimes against Armenia.
Justice Yosef Elron said the petition lacked basic evidence to hold a hearing. The ruling, however, does not preclude a later petition presenting more comprehensive evidence.
Human-rights lawyer Itay Mack said he is calling on Israel to cease arms sales to Azerbaijan as a moral matter, but he lacked sufficient evidence to file a petition. It was filed by activist Elie Joseph, who has been on hunger strike over the issue.
Joseph presented news reports that 60 percent of Azerbaijan’s arms come from Israel and evidence of a potential airlift of weapons to Azerbaijan days before its current conflict with Armenia erupted. He also presented news reports and a report by Amnesty International with evidence that Azerbaijan is using Israeli drones to kill Armenians.
An Amnesty International investigation has also confirmed the use of banned Israeli-made M095 DPICM cluster munitions against civilians in Nagorno-Karabakh. The organization said the munitions appear to have been fired by Azerbaijani forces.
The Armenian side has been publishing video and photo evidence that prove the deployment of cluster munitions.