A group of NGOs on Tuesday 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, ActionAid Denmark and Palestinian human rights organisation Al-Haq said in a joint statement they would bring the case against Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Police, which approves Danish sales of weapons and military equipment.
“We feel that we are completely within the lines, the rules of the game that apply,” Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told reporters. The National Police declined immediate comment without having seen details of the lawsuit.
Legal firm Kontra Advokater, who will be representing the NGOs, said it would file the lawsuit to a Copenhagen district court within the next three weeks.
“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 ActionAid Denmark, said.
Israel denies committing war crimes in its offensive in Gaza, launched in response to the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants in which 1,200 Israelis were killed. Gaza authorities say over 31,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war.
Israel has said it is doing all it can to limit civilian casualties, blaming Hamas for fighting in densely populated areas.
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.
LINK: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ngos-sue-denmark-end-arms-export-israel-2024-03-12/
