Ten pro-Palestinian NGOs asked a Dutch court on Friday to stop the Netherlands exporting weapons to Israel and trading with Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories, citing high civilian casualties in Israel's war in the Gaza Strip.
According to the plaintiffs, the Dutch state, as a signatory to the 1948 Genocide Convention, has a duty to take all reasonable measures at its disposal to prevent genocide.
Lawyer Wout Albers, acting for groups including Palestinian rights organisations Al Haq and Al Mezan and pro-Palestinian Jewish organisation Een Ander Joods Geluid, said the Netherlands had failed to take the measures needed by continuing its exports of weapons parts and military cooperation.
"This has to stop immediately," he said.