Organizations ask court to block Netherlands from exporting F-35 parts to Israel

Oxfam Novib, Amnesty International, PAX and The Rights Forum want the Dutch State to stop exporting F-35 fighter jet spare parts to Israel, the groups said during summary proceedings at the District Court in The Hague. The organizations said the State is complicit in human rights violations occurring in the Gaza Strip by providing Israel with the equipment. The State is also presenting a defense in the case, which started on Monday.

The human rights organizations denounced the State’s attitude towards the war in Gaza, and they want to use the court procedure to force a change. The group referenced the destruction of residential areas, and the rising death toll in Gaza.

In their view, providing parts for fighter planes ensures that the Netherlands is partly responsible for the collective punishment of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip. Countries who partnered together for the F-35 in Europe, including Israel, are supplied with spare parts from a logistics center located at the Woensdrecht air base.

“It is about a link that makes it possible to hurl real bombs, on real houses and on real families,” said Oxfam Novib director Michiel Servaes during the hearing.

The State Attorney representing the Netherlands argued that it is legitimate to question whether Israel has gone too far in its response to acts of terrorism perpetrated by Hamas, which started the most recent round of fighting. “But the answer is complex.” the State Attorney said.

For example, it is argued that Israel is allowed to defend itself, and it is difficult to “judge from a distance” whether this is happening within the rules that apply to it. “It has not been established that the laws of war are being deliberately violated with the F-35,” the country’s attorney said.

There is also no mandate within the weapons deal to question whether Israel should still receive the parts. According to the State Attorney, there are “complex interests” and the situation takes “time and coordination.”

On Sunday, the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry claimed that 15,523 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since the war between Hamas and Israel broke out on October 7. More than 41,000 Palestinians were injured, the organization stated.

The court will make a ruling no later than Friday. A decision could potentially be issued sooner, and will be released publicly.