- The Hague court dismissed a human rights case, allowing the Netherlands to deliver parts to Israel.
- The court ruled that the decision to supply these parts was primarily political.
- Dutch authorities argued they had no power to intervene in the deliveries.
A Dutch court dismissed a case brought by human rights organizations. They allowing the Netherlands to proceed with delivering parts for F-35 fighter jets used by Israel in the Gaza Strip.
The court ruled that the decision to supply these parts was primarily a political matter. They also added that this should not be subject to judicial interference.
“The considerations that the minister makes are to a large extent of a political and policy nature. They also added that judges should leave the minister a large amount of freedom,” the court ruled.
The local branch of Amnesty International group argued in a statement. They said that providing parts for F-35 fighter jets to Israel contributes to what they claim are violations of international law by Israel in its conflict with Hamas.
The F-35 parts, owned by the United States, are stored in a warehouse in the Netherlands. From there, they are shipped to various partners, including Israel, under existing export agreements.
These parts “make it possible for real bombs to be dropped on real houses and real families,” said Michiel Servaes.
Dutch authorities:
Dutch authorities said it was not clear whether they even had the power to intervene in the deliveries, part of a US-run operation that supplies parts to all F-35 partners.
“Based on current information on the deployment of Israeli F-35s, it cannot be established that the F-35s are involved in serious violations of humanitarian law of war,” the government said in a letter to parliament.
But Liesbeth Zegveld, a human rights lawyer for the plaintiffs, had dismissed that as “nonsense”.
She said the Dutch government was familiar with what she termed “the enormous destruction of infrastructure and civilian centers in Gaza”.
Government lawyers contended that if the Netherlands didn’t supply the F-35 parts from the local warehouse, Israel could easily obtain them from alternative sources.
The ongoing conflict has resulted in widespread devastation in Gaza, with a reported 18,878 casualties. This conflict primarily affects women and children, according to the health ministry.
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