The Dutch government will now assess exports of military equipment and dual-use goods to Israel on a case-by-case basis, following the collapse of a ceasefire in the Middle East.
“The Cabinet is taking this step to allow all transactions of strategic goods to Israel to be assessed prior to export and transit against the European frameworks for export and transit of military and dual-use goods,” Dutch Trade Minister Reinette Klever and Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp wrote to lawmakers in the Dutch parliament Monday.
“This is desirable given the security situation in Israel, the Palestinian Territories and the broader region,” they added.
The Dutch government’s decision comes after the fragile truce between Israel and militant group Hamas ended on March 18. In the past 24 hours, Israeli forces killed at least 57 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
In total, the Israeli military has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians since the war started in October 2023, after Hamas launched an attack on Israel, killing more than 1,200 Israelis and taking 251 hostages.
Last year, a Dutch court ruled that the Netherlands should halt shipments of components for F-35 fighter jets to the Israeli government because of its continued assault on Gaza.
The Dutch government has now decided to revoke a general exports authorization to Israel — a regime under which individual transactions were not “subsequently assessed.” Now, exporters will have to apply for individual or global permits, which will then be tested against European law, the two ministers said.
Dual-use goods are items that can have both military and civilian use.
According to the government’s letter, there have been no exports of Dutch military equipment to Israel since Oct. 7, 2023, according to the letter.
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