Appeals court orders Netherlands to stop delivering F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel
The Netherlands must stop exporting F-35 parts to Isreal, the court of appeal in The Hague ruled on Monday. “There is a clear risk that Israel’s F-35 fighter jets might be used in the commission of serious violations of international humanitarian law,” the court ruled.
Human rights organizations Oxfam Novib, PAX Nederland, and The Rights Forum had taken the Dutch State to court to stop the export. They argued that the Netherlands knows Israel is using the F-35 fighter jets to bomb the Gaza Strip, and the Dutch State is, therefore, violating the laws of war by enabling these attacks on civilian populations.
Israel does not take sufficient account of the consequences of its attacks for the civilian population. Israel’s attacks on Gaza have resulted in a disproportionate number of civilian casualties, including thousands of children,
the judges wrote. The deliveries must stop within seven days.
The court added that prior treaties and international agreements forbid the Netherlands from exporting military equipment "if a clear risk of serious violations of international humanitarian law exists.
The Dutch State said it will appeal a decision barring the Netherlands from delivering F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel.