Dutch human rights lawyers took legal action in the Netherlands on Monday, urging a halt to the export of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel. They claim that by delivering these parts, the Netherlands becomes complicit in potential war crimes committed by Israel in its conflict with Hamas.
The lawyers, seeking an injunction from The Hague District Court, specifically aim to ban the export of F-35 parts stored in a Woensdrecht warehouse. Lawyer Liesbeth Zegveld emphasized in court, ‘The state must immediately stop the delivery of F-35 parts to Israel.’
Zegveld disclosed that Dutch customs consulted the government after the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas that triggered the Israel-Hamas war. She pointed out, ‘The warning that the fighter jets can contribute to serious breaches of the laws of war does not, for the Dutch state, outweigh its economic interests and diplomatic reputation.’
Government lawyer Reimer Veldhuis urged the court’s judge to reject the injunction, asserting that even if it were upheld, ‘the United States would deliver these parts to Israel from another place.’ He emphasized Israel’s right to self-defense, stating, ‘Israel must be able to respond to threats from the region within the framework of international law.’ Veldhuis added that the government ‘believes that a clear risk of serious breaches of international law through the use of F-35s cannot at the moment be established.
