A Dutch court has rejected a request by a group of human rights and humanitarian organizations to order a halt to the transfer of parts for F-35 fighter jets to Israel. The organizations argued that the delivery of the parts makes the Netherlands complicit in possible war crimes being committed by Israel in its conflict with Hamas. The parts are currently stored in a warehouse in the Dutch town of Woensdrecht.

A Dutch court ruled today the govt. can continue supplying #F35 fighter jet parts to Israel after #HumanRights orgs went to court to stop it. In a LEGAL FIRST, the groups argued by sending the parts to Israel, the Dutch could be complicit in alleged war crimes in Gaza. (1/3)

— Lauren Comiteau (@LaurenComiteau) December 15, 2023

After the deadly Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas triggered the Israel-Hamas war, the Dutch government decided to continue transferring F-35 parts to Israel. Lawyer Liesbeth Zegveld, representing the human rights organizations, stated that the warning that the fighter jets can contribute to serious breaches of the laws of war did not outweigh the economic interests and diplomatic reputation of the Dutch government. In a written statement, the Hague District Court said that the judge concluded that the Dutch government "weighed the relevant interests before agreeing to the delivery of parts."

Government lawyer Reimer Veldhuis added that a ban on transfers from the Netherlands would be essentially meaningless as the United States would deliver the parts to Israel from another location. Despite the court's decision, Zegveld stated that she would appeal the ruling, emphasizing that "human rights are put behind or after or lower than political foreign policy interests. That is amazing given what’s happening in Gaza." It was not immediately clear if the organizations involved in the case would appeal.