8 ay önce

NGOs suing Denmark to halt arms exports to Israel over Gaza crimes concerns

Amnesty International, Oxfam, MS Action Aid and Al-Haq say they have targeted Denmark's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Police, which approves sales of weapons and military equipment.

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A Dutch court in February ordered the Netherlands to block all exports of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel. / Photo: AA

A group of NGOs said they will sue the Danish state to end the Nordic country's arms exports to Israel, citing concerns that its weapons were being used to commit serious crimes against civilians during the war in Gaza.

Amnesty International Denmark, Oxfam Denmark, MS Action Aid and Palestinian human rights organisation Al-Haq in a joint statement on Tuesday said they will sue the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Police, which approves Danish sales of weapons and military equipment.

They said they would file the lawsuit to a yet unspecified court within the next three weeks.

A Dutch court in February ordered the Netherlands to block all exports of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel over concerns they were being used to violate international law in Gaza.

The Danish Foreign Ministry and the National Police did not have an immediate comment.

"For five months we have been talking about a potential genocide in Gaza, but we have not seen politicians take action," Tim Whyte, Secretary General of MS Action, said in a statement.

Rabbi from hell incites Israeli Jews to commit genocide in Gaza

Int'l outcry

Israel has waged a brutal military invasion on Gaza since October 7, 2023 when Hamas fighters launched a blitz on Israeli troops and settlements near Gaza fence.

Hamas says its raid was in reaction to Israel's "ethnic cleansing and genocide" it perpetrates against the Palestinian people, the severe human rights violations committed by Israeli occupation forces, Israel's seizure of Palestinian lands, and the continuous Judaisation of occupied Jerusalem and the Al Asqa Mosque complex.

Since then Israel has killed more than 31,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and wounded over 72,600 others, leading to an international outcry over the heavy humanitarian toll of its military offensive.

The World Court in January ordered Israel to prevent acts of genocide against Palestinians and do more to help civilians, although it stopped short of ordering a ceasefire as requested by South Africa.

Denmark is a signatory of the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty, making all its arms transfers subject to rigorous risk and human rights assessments.