The Dutch Supreme Court is set to settle a heated national dispute over the country’s role in supplying F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel for its war in Gaza. The government is appealing a lower court’s ban, in a case that has divided public opinion and the legal community.
The dispute was ignited by a lawsuit from three human rights organizations, which accused the government of complicity in alleged war crimes. Their legal action has forced a public debate about the Netherlands’ responsibilities as a key hub in the F-35 global logistics network.
The judiciary has also been split on the issue. While a district court initially supported the government, an appeals court sided with the activists in February 2024, imposing the ban and setting the stage for the final confrontation in the Supreme Court.
The government’s appeal is a defense of its foreign policy and its partnership with the United States, which owns the parts. It argues that the courts should not interfere in these complex relationships and that the ban would be a futile gesture.
The backdrop to this domestic dispute is the international crisis sparked by the October 7 Hamas attack. The devastating war in Gaza has put Israel’s allies under intense pressure, and the Dutch court’s final ruling will be a key indicator of how European nations are responding.