Human rights activists sue the Netherlands for supplying Israel with parts for F-35 fighter jets
Kyiv • UNN
Human rights groups have filed a lawsuit against the Dutch government for supplying spare parts for F-35 aircraft to Israel, accusing it of complicity in military violations in Gaza. The Dutch Ministry of Defense denies that the F-35s are associated with serious violations of humanitarian law.
On Monday, December 4, a group of human rights organizations filed a lawsuit against the Dutch government, claiming that the supply of spare parts for F-35 fighter jets to Israel contributes to violations of international law in Gaza, AFP reported, UNN wrote.
Details
The case concerns US-owned F-35 spare parts stored in a warehouse in the Netherlands that can be shipped to other F-35 partner countries, such as Israel, under existing export agreements.
Oxfam Novib, one of the groups that filed the lawsuit, said the exports "made the Netherlands complicit in violations of the laws of war and the collective punishment of the civilian population of Gaza."
It is almost unbelievable that these bombs are being dropped thanks to Dutch military support. It has to stop," said Michiel Servais,
International law experts told the publication that human rights are likely being violated by both sides of the conflict.
By supplying arms parts, the Netherlands risks becoming complicit in violations of international humanitarian law,
The Dutch Ministry of Defense, which controls exports, does not comment on the court case, but in a letter to parliament last week said that based on the available information, "it cannot be established that the F-35s are involved in serious violations of the humanitarian law of war."
Based on the current information on the deployment of Israeli F-35s, it cannot be established that the F-35s are involved in serious violations of the humanitarian law of war,
But Lisbeth Zegveld, a human rights lawyer, told reporters: "It is clear that these planes are being used over Gaza to carry out aerial bombardments and to assist ground forces."
Addendum
The Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health reports that more than 15,500 people have been killed in the war since October 7, more than half of them women and children.
According to Israeli authorities, Israel has vowed to defeat Hamas in response to the militant attacks on October 7, which killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians.
To recap
The New York Times has obtained a document that describes in detail the Hamas attack on Israel that that took place on October 7. Officials knew about the document a year ago, but considered the plan too complex for Hamas.
