A Dutch court is poised to delve into a case alleging that the Netherlands is complicit in war crimes in Gaza by providing components for Israeli bombers.
Initiated by human rights organizations against the Dutch state, the case claims that the export of F-35 fighter jet parts implicates the Netherlands in alleged war crimes.
Amnesty International and Oxfam’s Dutch branches contend that the Netherlands’ supply of reserve parts for Israeli fighter jets during the ongoing conflict contributes to widespread and serious violations of humanitarian law by Israel in Gaza.
Scheduled to commence at 10 am CET (09:00 GMT) on Monday, the court proceedings will feature the claimants presenting their case and a response from lawyers representing the Dutch state. A verdict is expected in two weeks.
The Netherlands hosts a regional warehouse holding US-owned F-35 parts, which can be subsequently sent to other F-35 partner countries, including Israel.
Documents reveal that several weeks after the deadly October 7 Hamas attacks, the Dutch government permitted a shipment of reserve parts for Israeli F-35s.
Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren refrained from commenting on the allegations before the legal proceedings but, in a letter to parliament, the Dutch Ministry of Defense stated that, based on current information, “it cannot be established that the F-35s are involved in grave violations of the humanitarian laws of war.”
Israel has consistently denied committing war crimes in Gaza, where over 15,000 Palestinians, including women and children, have lost their lives amid the ongoing conflict.
Despite calls for a ceasefire from some EU peers like Belgium and Spain, the Dutch government, in line with the rest of the European Union, maintains that Israel has the right to self-defense according to humanitarian and international law.
The Netherlands has not joined the aforementioned calls for a ceasefire.
