Pete Venticich, Julia Anaf, and Seema Mihrshahi
We are members of the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) who have produced a factsheet documenting Australia’s two-way arms trade with Israel. This post summarises its key findings. This blog post has been produced by PHAA members and reflects the views of the authors. It does not constitute a PHAA policy position or independent legal assessment. References to international legal findings are included for contextual purposes and should not be interpreted as PHAA making independent legal determinations.
The factsheet was prompted by the PHAA Special Resolution on Gaza, passed at the September 2025 AGM, which advocates for the Australian Government to halt the supply of weapons and weapon components used by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Our interest as public health practitioners is specific: the public health and humanitarian impacts of armed conflict, including civilian mortality, health system destruction, displacement and food insecurity.
The conflict in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of at least 70,000 people as of May 2026, including more than 20,000 children, figures which likely represent a significant undercount.
What Australia is sending to Israel
Investigative reporting referenced in Senate Estimates documented 68 F-35 fighter jet parts shipped directly from Australia to Israel between October 2023 and September 2025, including critical operational components documented as being sent to Nevatim Airbase, home to Israel’s three F-35 squadrons. A June 2024 UN report confirmed that Israeli F-35 jets, made with parts from partner countries including Australia, were used in military operations in Gaza associated with large-scale civilian harm.
At least 70 Australian companies are involved in the F-35 supply chain, having been awarded over $4.13 billion in global production and sustainment contracts through Lockheed Martin. Australian companies in this supply chain include the sole global producer of the uplock actuators that open and close the fighter jet’s bay doors as it drops bombs.
Beyond F-35 components, the factsheet documents direct exports of arms and ammunition, counter-drone weapons systems, armoured steel, remote-controlled guns and munitions to Israel from Australian companies including Electro Optic Systems, Bisalloy Steel, SMASH Australia, Droneshield and Rheinmetall NIOA Munitions.
What Australia is buying
Elbit Systems is Israel’s largest privately-owned arms company, producing 85% of the drones and land-based military equipment used by the IDF. It is also a major recipient of Australian Government contracts. Since 7 October, 2023, taxpayers have funded eight direct contracts with Elbit totaling approximately $20 million, a $917 million contract for Hanwha Defence Australia with Elbit Systems integration, and further contracts with Elbit Systems UK. From 2007 to May 2025, direct contracts between the Australian Department of Defence and Elbit Systems total more than $1.9 billion. Elbit Systems’ technology and weaponry have been reported as playing a significant role in expanding and maintaining Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories.
Sovereign wealth fund investments
Documents obtained under FOI and the Future Fund’s own mandatory periodic investment disclosures reveal that as of October 2023, the Future Fund held more than $650 million across 30 weapons and aerospace companies. By December 2025, its holdings in Palantir Technologies, which has supplied AI-driven technologies to Israel, had risen to $165.3 million (+2,348% since December 2023), and Elbit Systems to $8.6 million (+1,470%). Increased Elbit holdings were also recorded in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land and Sea Future Fund and the Housing Australia Future Fund.
In contrast, Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global, the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, banned investment in Elbit Systems in 2009 and in 2025 terminated all contracts with asset managers handling its Israeli investments.
The international legal context
The UN Arms Trade Treaty (2013) requires States to deny arms exports where there is an overriding risk they could contribute to serious violations of international humanitarian or human rights law. An October 2025 report by the United Nations Special Rapporteur concluded that States maintaining military and economic relations with Israel had “facilitated, legitimised and eventually normalised” what the Special Rapporteur described as Israel’s genocide in Gaza. In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant relating to crimes against humanity.
The PHAA Special Resolution on Gaza, passed at the association’s September 2025 AGM, advocates for the Australian Government to halt the supply of weapons and weapon components used by the Israel Defense Forces. The following advocacy positions arise directly from the Special Resolution adopted by PHAA members, rather than from the accompanying factsheet itself:
- Condemn support of any kind by the Australian government and Australian organisations to the Israeli Defense Force including the supply of armaments and components
- Call for the Australian government to cease any support for, or supplies to, the Israeli Defense Force and
- Advocate to the Australian government to halt the supply of weapons and weapon components which support the IDF.
The full factsheet, including all sources and references, is available here.
The authors are all members of the PHAA Gaza Public Health informal working group.
Leave a Reply