(CLO) On Friday (December 13), a Dutch court rejected a request from 10 pro-Palestinian non- governmental organizations (NGOs) to prevent the Netherlands from exporting weapons to Israel and trading with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The district court in The Hague stressed that the Dutch government has a certain degree of autonomy in setting policy and that the court should not interfere too quickly.
People evacuate to avoid conflict in Gaza on October 22, 2024. (Source: THX/VNA)
"The court found no grounds to impose a complete ban on the export of state-owned military and dual-use goods," the court statement said.
Non-governmental organizations, citing the large number of civilian casualties in Israel's war in the Gaza Strip, argue that the Netherlands, as a signatory to the 1948 Convention on the Prevention of Genocide, has an obligation to take all reasonable measures to prevent genocide.
They also cited an International Court of Justice (ICJ) order from January 2024 requiring Israel to stop the genocide in Gaza.
Israel rejects accusations of genocide in its campaign in Gaza, asserting that its sole objective is to eliminate Hamas and other armed groups that threaten the state's existence. Israel also alleges that these groups often hide among civilians, a claim the groups deny.
Judges of the Hague district court argued that the Dutch government regularly assesses the risk that weapons and dual-use goods exported to Israel could be used in violation of international law. The Netherlands also stated that it has refused certain export orders in specific cases.
However, in a separate case in February 2024, a Dutch court ruled that the Dutch government must block all exports of F-35 fighter jet components to Israel due to concerns that they could be used to violate international law in the war in Gaza. The Dutch government is currently appealing this ruling.
Hong Hanh (according to Reuters, CNN, CNA)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/toa-an-ha-lan-bac-yeu-cau-ngung-xuat-khau-vu-khi-sang-israel-post325569.html
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