Pro-Palestine NGOs sue Dutch gov't over 'Israel' support
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The lawsuit comes only one day after the International Criminal Court, located in The Hague, issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Security Minister Yoav Gallant.
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A Palestinian man holds the body of a relative killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, at a hospital in Deir al-Balah on August 22, 2024. (AP)
Pro-Palestinian organizations sued the Netherlands on Friday, calling for an end to arms transfers to "Israel" and accusing the government of failing to prevent a genocide in Gaza.
The NGOs asserted that the Israeli occupation is violating international law in Gaza and the West Bank, citing, among other things, the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention established in the aftermath of the Holocaust.
Wout Albers, a lawyer representing the NGOs said the occupation is "guilty of genocide" while using "Dutch weapons to wage war."
Opening the case at The Hague, Judge Sonja Hoekstra stated, "It is important to emphasize that the gravity of the situation in Gaza, as well as the status of the West Bank, is not contested by the Dutch State."
"Today is about finding out what is legally in play and what can be expected of the State, if the State can be expected to do more, or act differently than it is currently acting," according to her. She agreed that this was a "sensitive case," adding, "It's a whole legal debate."
ICC issues warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant for war crimes
The lawsuit comes only one day after the International Criminal Court, located in The Hague, issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Security Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of "crimes against humanity and war crimes."
The arrest warrants mark a significant escalation, as all 124 member states of the ICC are now obligated to detain Netanyahu and Gallant if they enter their territory.
The ICC stated there are "reasonable grounds" to believe Netanyahu and Gallant are criminally responsible for using starvation as a method of warfare, intentionally depriving Gaza’s civilians of essential resources like food, water, and medical supplies.
Khan called on signatories of the court's founding treaty "to live up to their commitment to the Rome Statute by respecting and complying with these judicial orders."
In a statement, he said, "We count on their cooperation in this situation, as with all other situations... We also welcome collaboration with non-state parties in working towards accountability and upholding international law."
