Netherlands court orders halt to transfers of F-35 parts to Israel

A Dutch appeals court has ordered the government in The Hague to suspend the exportation of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel over concerns that the Israeli air force was violating international law during its Gaza offensive.

In its ruling Monday, the appeals court said, "It is undeniable that there is a clear risk the exported F-35 parts are used in serious violations of international humanitarian law." The court stressed that Dutch authorities must comply with the order within seven days, dismissing a request by the state’s legal team to wait for the Supreme Court to examine an appeal it was planning to submit on the issue.

In 2019, the US Department of Defense chose the Netherlands as its logistical hub in Europe to store, ship and manage spare F-35 parts. There are 25 Dutch companies involved in their production, but Monday’s order also affects many parts manufactured by American companies. 

Stating it would appeal the order, the Dutch government said the parts were crucial to Israel’s ability to protect itself from “threats in the region, for example from Iran, Yemen, Syria and Lebanon.”