COPENHAGEN, March 12, 2024 (EIRNS)—Amnesty International in Denmark's website and Danish media report that Oxfam Denmark, Amnesty International Denmark, Cooperation Between People (Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke), and the Palestinian human rights organization Al-Haq, are suing the Danish national police and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in an effort to stop Danish arms exports to Israel. Denmark exports F-35 parts to a U.S.-led weapons consortium, which sells them to Israel, without assessing if there is a risk that the weapons could be used for committing war crimes. Danish media have documented that the F-35s are being used to bomb Gaza. The NGOs action is inspired by a Dutch court decision to stop weapon sales to Israel.
“There is a clear risk that weapons and military equipment that Denmark directly and indirectly exports to Israel will be used to commit serious crimes against civilians in Gaza. In doing so, Denmark violates international rules on arms trade, and risks becoming complicit in violations of international humanitarian law—including war crimes—and a plausible genocide.
”[T]he organizations want the court’s assessment of whether the exports violate the rules on arms trade that Denmark has committed itself to.” The mere risk should be enough to stop the exports.
“‘For five months we have been talking about a potential genocide in Gaza, but we have not seen politicians take action. Denmark should not send weapons to Israel when there is a reasonable suspicion that the country is committing war crimes in Gaza. We need to get the court’s word for Denmark’s responsibility,’ said Tim Whyte, Secretary General of Cooperation Between People (Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke).
