Pro-Palestinian NGOs seek court order to stop Dutch arms exports to Israel

Ten pro-Palestinian NGOs ask a Dutch court to stop the Netherlands from exporting weapons to Israel and trading with Israeli settlements, citing high civilian casualties in Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip.

According to the plaintiffs, the Dutch state, as a signatory to the 1948 Genocide Convention, has a duty to take all reasonable measures at its disposal to prevent genocide.

Lawyer Wout Albers, acting for groups including Palestinian rights organizations Al Haq and Al Mezan and pro-Palestinian Jewish organization Een Ander Joods Geluid, says the Netherlands has failed to take the measures needed by continuing its exports of weapons parts and military cooperation.

“This has to stop immediately,” he says.

The case, heard by the district court in The Hague, cites a January order to Israel by the International Court of Justice to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza. The plaintiffs cite “extreme numbers of civilian victims killed and wounded and the unprecedented destruction” to argue genocide is taking place.

They also cite arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court on Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense chief for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity including persecution, murder and starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza.

Israel says accusations of genocide in its Gaza campaign are baseless and that it is solely hunting down Hamas and other armed groups who threaten its existence and hide among civilians, something the groups deny. Israel said Thursday’s arrest warrants were shameful and absurd.