Amidst Israel's military operations in Gaza, a Dutch court has ordered the Netherlands government to suspend the export of parts for F-35 fighter jets to Israel. The decision was made in response to concerns raised by human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Oxfam.
The court ruled that there was a substantial risk that the exported parts were being utilized in "serious violations of international humanitarian law." The court specifically cited evidence suggesting that Israeli F-35s were being employed in attacks resulting in civilian casualties. The government's argument that a prior export permit exempted them from further scrutiny was dismissed.
In response, the Dutch government announced its intention to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court. According to the government, the F-35 parts were crucial for Israel's defense against regional threats, such as Iran, Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon.
Human rights organizations have condemned the government's continued arms supply to Israel, accusing it of complicity in war crimes. The organizations assert that the exports contribute to Israel's "wide-scale and serious violations of humanitarian law" in Gaza.
The appeals court's decision overrides a lower court ruling from December, which had dismissed a similar case. The appeals court emphasized that political and economic considerations should not override the clear risk of violating the laws of war. The court ordered the government to immediately halt all exports of fighter jet parts to Israel.