Dutch court rejects demand for expanded export ban on jet parts that may go to Israel

A Dutch court rejects a demand by rights groups to order the Netherlands to block all exports of F-35 fighter jet parts that might end up in Israel.

The case, started by rights groups including the Dutch arm of Oxfam, followed another district court ruling in February that the Netherlands cannot send F-35 parts to Israel over concerns the jets could be involved in alleged violations of international humanitarian law in the war against the Hamas terror group in Gaza.

The groups claimed that the Dutch state stopped the direct export of parts to Israel but continued to deliver fighter jet parts to the US and other countries, from which they could then be sent on or used in planes destined for Israel, and that this should also be stopped under the earlier order.

However, The Hague district court says in a press release that the groups’ interpretation of the February ruling is too broad and the Dutch state is complying with the export ban as ordered.