LONDON, Nov 15: Saleh Hasan, a Palestinian who lives in Bethlehem, has taken the British government to court here over the sale of military equipment to Israel including parts for Apache helicopter gunships, laser range finders, and communications equipment.

He argues that the sales are in breach of the government's guidelines covering arms exports and are unlawful. The guidelines say exports should be blocked when there is a "clear risk" they "might be used for internal repression".

Mr Hasan's lawyers have referred to comments by Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells in the Commons in August that "almost any use of equipment could be used aggressively, especially in occupied areas".

They pointed out that after British military equipment was used in the occupied territories in 2002, Jack Straw, the then foreign secretary, said he would no longer take Israeli assurances into account. Mr Howells said approach "still holds true".

Meanwhile, the campaign to get the Defence Export Services Organisation (DESO) shut is also continuing. The campaign challenges the influence of arms companies on government policies.