The Netherlands will not supply F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel for the next six months, outgoing ministers Aukje de Vries (Foreign Trade) and David van Weel (Foreign Affairs) said in a letter to the House of Representatives.
The ministers explained that the decision followed a Supreme Court ruling on 3 October, which mandated the government to reconsider the export and transit of F-35 parts to Israel.
Such exports were stopped in February 2024 after several human rights organisations won a case against the Netherlands.
A ceasefire was declared in Gaza on 10 October, but the government finds this event too recent to make a judgement on whether F-35 parts might contribute to violations of international humanitarian law.
The matter will be reassessed within six months, taking into consideration concerns raised by human rights groups about potential misuse of the fighter jet components.
In the meantime, the Netherlands may continue to export F-35 parts to other countries which, De Vries emphasised, is crucial for its standing in the European defence industry.
