Dutch Court Orders Netherlands to Halt Delivery of Fighter Jet Parts to Israel

An appeals court ordered the Dutch government to block the delivery of F-35 fighter jet parts used by Israel in its bombardment of the Gaza Strip on Monday, 12 February, following an appeal made by human rights organizations.

The verdict was reached after the court cited the “clear risk” of exporting the parts and the “serious violations of international humanitarian law” they are poising.

In December, human rights organizations, including Oxfam Novib, Pax Nederland, and The Rights Forum filed a civil complaint, arguing that shipping the F-35 parts which are owned by the United States but stored in a Netherlands warehouse makes the Dutch complicit in war crimes in Gaza.

In January, a lower court rejected the complaint, stating that the situation was unclear.

“It is undeniable that there is a clear risk that the exported F-35 parts are used in serious violations of international humanitarian law,” Judge Bas Boele said.