A joint investigation by Declassified Australia and The Ditch found that Australia is not only an active supplier of key F-35 components but also forms part of the logistical and industrial infrastructure underpinning the Western arms alliance that supports Israel. According to the report, at least 68 consignments of sensitive aircraft parts have been sent from Sydney to Israel over the past two years.
The most striking detail is the sharp increase in shipments after 7 October 2023 — the date marking the start of Israel’s large-scale assault on Gaza. Since then, Australia has been consistently engaged in the supply chain sustaining Israel’s F-35 fleet, the fighter jet regarded as the backbone of the aerial campaign against the Gaza Strip.
Hidden Military Transfers: From Passenger Flights to the Negev Base
Transport data show that some of these shipments were covertly loaded onto commercial passenger flights. The latest such delivery reportedly departed from Sydney to the occupied territories just two weeks ago.
Half of the consignments were sent directly to Nevatim Airbase — the main hub for Israel’s F-35 jets in the Negev Desert. The fact that delivery destinations were recorded so clearly points to a direct link between Australia’s supply chain and Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
While many governments halted arms exports to Israel after the onset of the Gaza attacks, Australia’s continued cooperation is being viewed as an implicit violation of the principle of neutrality in armed conflicts.
Canberra’s Dual Strategy: Official Denial, Practical Involvement
The Australian government has repeatedly stated in official communications that it does not export “weapons or lethal ammunition” to Israel. However, the latest revelations show an ongoing export of critical components essential to the functioning of combat aircraft — including control arms, mechanical actuators, and pilot display systems.
This dual policy reflects a form of indirect alignment with the security strategies of the United States and NATO. Since the 2010s, Canberra has held a stable position within the F-35 industrial partnership, making it part of the global supply chain of this multibillion-dollar weapons program.
But when the output of that chain manifests as the bombing of hospitals and schools in Gaza, the distinction between “technical component” and “weapon of war” becomes blurred — placing Australia’s legal standing on shaky ground in the eyes of international law.
Legal and Geopolitical Implications of Industrial Complicity
The disclosures have placed the Australian government in a precarious position. Under international humanitarian law, the export of parts used in systems deployed against civilian populations could amount to complicity in war crimes.
Geopolitically, the revelations may damage Australia’s standing in the Asia-Pacific region, where many nations — including Indonesia and Malaysia — maintain outspoken support for the Palestinian cause.
In effect, this continuing involvement not only undermines Australia’s image as an independent and peace-oriented actor but also aligns it with aggressive powers willing to sacrifice collective security and human rights for military interests.
The central question now is whether Australian civil society and public opinion can compel the government to account for and disclose the extent of its military cooperation with Israel — or whether the policy of “secrecy under the guise of peace” will persist.
NOURNEWS