Dutch authorities have no power to intervene in the transportation of military cargo to Israel aboard ships sailing under the Netherlands' flag when the cargo is neither exported from nor transits through the Netherlands, Foreign Trade Minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma said in a letter to parliament, APA reports.
The document assesses the issue in the context of the Netherlands' obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide amid Israel's military operations in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.
According to the letter, Dutch export control rules apply only to exports of military goods from the Netherlands and to transit operations involving the unloading and reloading of cargo on Dutch territory.
For cargo transported outside Dutch territory aboard vessels flying the country's flag, the export legislation of the country of origin applies.
At the same time, the Netherlands permits the export and transit of military goods to Israel only when they can be used exclusively for defensive purposes. Components for the Iron Dome air defense system were cited as an example.
Permits may also be issued for military goods intended for production, maintenance or demonstration purposes that are not meant for operational use in Israel.
Follow us on Telegram
t.me/apanewsaz
Follow us on Instagram
Follow us on TikTok
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on X
