Human rights groups say the Dutch state’s export of plane parts to Israel makes it complicit in war crimes in Gaza.
A Dutch court is to hear a case accusing the state of complicity in war crimes in Gaza over its supply of components for Israeli bombers.
Launched by human rights organizations against the Netherlands, the case, which opens on Monday, claims that the Dutch state is complicit in alleged war crimes stemming from the export of car parts. F-35 fighter jets.
The Dutch branches of Amnesty International and Oxfam claim that “the Netherlands is contributing to serious and large-scale violations of humanitarian law by Israel in Gaza” by allowing the shipment of spare parts for Israeli fighter jets while the war continues.
The trial will begin at 10:00 CET (09:00 GMT) and will hear arguments from the plaintiffs as well as the response from lawyers for the Dutch state. A decision is expected in two weeks.
The Netherlands is home to a regional warehouse that stores U.S.-owned F-35 parts, which can be shipped to other F-35 partner countries, such as Israel.
Several weeks after the deadly Hamas attacks on October 7, the Dutch government authorized the shipment of spare parts for Israeli F-35s, according to government documents.
Last week, Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren told the Dutch news agency ANP that she would not comment on the allegations before the trial at the Hague court.
But later, in a letter to Parliament, the Dutch Defense Ministry said that, based on current information, “it cannot be established that the F-35s are involved in serious violations of the humanitarian laws of war.” “.
Israel has denied committing war crimes in Gaza.
More than 15,000 Palestinians, including women and children, have been killed in the besieged Gaza Strip as the war continues to rage. Israel says Hamas fighters killed 1,200 Israelis and took 240 prisoners.
Like the rest of the European Union, since the start of the war between Israel and Gaza, the Netherlands has maintained that Israel has the right to defend itself, in accordance with humanitarian and international law.
The Dutch government has not joined calls for a ceasefire from some of its EU peers, such as Belgium and Spain.
