The final hearing in a divisive, year-long legal battle over shipments of F-35 parts to Israel is now underway at the Dutch Supreme Court. The government is making its last-ditch effort to overturn a ban that has pitted it against its own judiciary and human rights groups.
The case has been a source of intense national debate since it was filed in late 2023. At its core is the question of whether the Netherlands should halt its role in the F-35 supply chain to Israel due to the high civilian death toll in Gaza, which has now exceeded 66,200.
The division is clear in the case’s history. A district court initially gave the government the green light, but this was emphatically overturned by an appeals court in February 2024. That court’s decision to ban the shipments was a major victory for activists and a significant rebuke to the government.
The government’s appeal to the Supreme Court has been framed as a necessary defense of its right to manage the country’s foreign and defense policies. It argues that a court-ordered ban undermines Dutch reliability as an international partner, particularly within the crucial F-35 program.
As the highest court hears these final arguments, the nation awaits a resolution. The decision will not only determine the fate of future shipments but also draw a new line in the sand regarding the power of Dutch courts to intervene in matters of international conflict.