Several NGOs have appealed to the Dutch courts to block the shipment of parts for F-35 fighter jets to Israel

June 28 () –

Several NGOs have appealed to the Dutch courts on Friday to try to definitively block the shipment of parts for F-35 fighter jets to Israel after the government admitted that despite the export ban, these materials manufactured in the Netherlands continue to reach the hands of the Israeli authorities via the United States.

The three NGOs, Oxfam Movib, The Rights Forum and PAX, have thus denounced that the ban issued in February by the courts “is not being respected in practice” and that these parts end up being used in the manufacture of fighter planes that carry out attacks in the framework of the Israeli offensive against the Gaza Strip.

“Unfortunately, there are indications that these parts manufactured in the Netherlands are ending up in the hands of Israel through various channels,” said Oxfam Movib, which accused the State of “not respecting the court’s ruling.”

“The Netherlands says that they cannot stop the export of F-35 parts to Israel. It is unacceptable! That is why today we appear before the judge,” the NGO stated in a message broadcast through its account on the social network. x.

The Dutch government itself has previously admitted that parts could also be arriving in Israel and has indicated that the United States transports fighter jet parts produced both in the Netherlands and in other states as part of spare parts packages for these aircraft, according to reports by the NOS television channel.

The courts had banned these exports because they considered that there was a “high risk” that these planes could be involved in violations of international law in the context of the Israeli offensive.

The authorities, who had assured that they would respect the measure, have appealed the judicial decision before the Supreme Court, in an attempt to convince allies and partners that the Netherlands remains “a reliable partner in the F-35 project and in the international and European defense cooperation”.