By Selman Aksunger
THE HAGUE (AA) – Three Dutch human rights groups on Monday pressed to cut off exports of fighter jet parts to Israel, arguing that continuing them could make the Netherlands a partner in “war crimes.”
At a hearing at The Hague, lawyers for Oxfam Novib, PAX, and The Rights Forum asked the court to overturn an earlier decision that rejected the Dutch government's request to stop shipments of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel.
Arguing for the rights groups, lawyer Liesbeth Zegveld said the export of F-35 parts could make the Netherlands complicit in "possible war crimes" committed by Israel in its attacks on the Gaza Strip.
"The state should immediately stop deliveries of F-35 parts to Israel," Zegveld said, adding, "The fighter jets could lead to serious violations of law in a war that has nothing to do with the Dutch state."
Stating that human rights violations in Gaza have been identified by UN agencies, she asked the Court of Appeals to order the Netherlands to stop the delivery of F-35 parts to Israel.
In a Dec. 15 ruling, a lower court said the Dutch government was not obliged to stop the sale of F-35 parts to Israel under a previously established license.