Danish government to stand trial over arms exports to Israel

The Danish government will stand trial today over its arms exports to Israel. The case, which is being heard in Denmark’s Eastern High Court, comes after the state was sued by a group of human rights organizations who argue that arms sales to Israel will have contributed to possible war crimes in Gaza.

Between 2014 and 2022, the total value of arms export licences from Denmark to Israel was over $1 million. Amnesty International, Intercultural Cooperation, Oxfam and Al-Haq say that the Danish governments continued exports of arms used by Israel are in violation of international rules.

Vibe Klarup, secretary general of Amnesty International Denmark said that Amnesty workers in Gaza have documented several Israeli bombings, ‘that do not distinguish between civilian and military targets and wipe out entire families... Denmark must in no way contribute to making these illegal attacks on civilians possible.’

The Nordic country is an ‘essential partner’ in the global production of F-35 fighter jets, a programme led by the US, joined by 20 countries. The government has previously stated that 15 Danish companies supply components for F-35s which are a key part of Israel’s military machine, used during the genocide in Gaza. In July, an aircraft was used when three bombs were dropped on a so-called ‘safe zone’, in Al-Mawasi, Khan Younis, killing 90 Palestinians.

Legal experts from a number of the states participating in the F-35 production programme have been utilizing the courts to try and stop the transfer of parts for the planes to Israel, including Australia, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and the UK.

In February 2024, an appeals court in the Netherlands found that the exports were in violation of both EU and UN rules signed up to by both the Netherlands and Denmark have signed. The court ordered the Dutch government to stop arms exports to Israel within the F-35 programme. As previously reported in Currents, a court case against the UK government is back in the High Court in May. 

Last week over 230 global civil society organizations made a public call for governments producing F-35 fighter jets to immediately halt all arms transfers to Israel.

‘As Israel carries out its genocidal practices across the occupied Palestinian territory, with Palestinians in the West Bank subject to an ongoing, violent military onslaught and Gaza's population still being attacked and denied essential aid despite a ceasefire, it is imperative that states uphold their binding duties under international law,’ said Shawan Jabarin, general-director of Palestinian human rights organization Al-Haq.

— Amy Hall (@amyrhall)