Dutch court rules against ban on arms exports to Israel

A Dutch court on Friday rejected demands by pro-Palestinian groups for a ban on arms exports from the Netherlands to Israel.

The non-governmental groups had accused Israel of conducting a "genocide" in its war in Gaza. But the court said the Dutch government was respecting rules governing the country's arms trade.

"The state should not be forced to impose a ban on exporting goods that can be used for military means," the court in The Hague said in a statement.

The pro-Palestinian groups said in a statement they had expected the decision but still called it a "blow" to international justice. They said they may appeal.

The groups had said that Israel's war on Gaza and its occupation of West Bank since the Hamas' 7 October 2023 attack on Israel had put it in breach of the 1948 UN genocide convention.

Zainah El-Haroun, spokesperson for the NGO Al-Haq said that the Netherlands, as the venue for the International Court of Justice and other international tribunals, had to act to "prevent genocide".

The court said the government had carried out its obligations to assess the risk that arms exported to Israel are not used "in a way that could lead to a breach of humanitarian law in war." It highlighted a case where a military goods export to Israel had been halted.

Issam Younis, Director of Al Mezan, said that the court chose to "ignore the findings of two international tribunals located in the same city".

"We reiterate our urgent demand: cease all arms transfers to Israel, or face legal accountability at both the state and individual levels for complicity in the commission of international crimes."

Israel's war on Gaza has killed at least 44,875 people, with a further 106,454 wounded. The war has left most of the enclave population displaced and left much of its infrastructure in ruins.