International

SP Member of Parliament Krista van Velzen today participated in a protest action against the use of Schiphol airport, Amsterdam as a transit point in the transport of weapons to Israel. Together with activists from the Campaign against the Weapons Trade, other left parties including the Green Left and International Socialists, as well as Palestine solidarity groups and peace movement organisations, she was at the airport to protest against the policy of Dutch government and Schiphol management to allow this trade in weapons to continue without hindrance or control. According to Ms Van Velzen, far from encouraging the sale of weapons to Israel, the Netherlands should impose an immediate arms embargo.

Krista van Velzen (left) in action at Schiphol

The Netherlands is currently, due to events in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories, issuing no permits for the sale of weapons to Israel by Dutch-based firms. At the same time, large amounts of weaponry are being transported via Schiphol, in the last two months this trade has even increased, and considerably so. As Van Velzen says, “The Netherlands has the possibility to end the transit of weapons through the country to Israel but is not doing so. This demonstrates enormous hypocrisy. If we, and quite correctly, believe that in times of armed conflict it is not a good idea to be supplying weapons, then we shouldn't be providing other countries with the facilities to do so. That flights carrying arms from the US to Israel are passing uncontrolled through Schiphol, makes our arms export policy look as leaky as a sieve and makes us an accomplice to human rights abuses in both conflicts.”

Britain and Ireland have also in recent weeks seen protests against the transit of weapons through their territories to Israel. The Irish government took the decision at the end of July to ban such flights through Shannon airport, and the Dutch government should follow its example.

Recent answers from ministers to parliamentary questions reveal that in 2005-6 the export of arms took place to Israel via Schiphol. In June and July of this year, immediately prior to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, the Netherlands allowed twenty-three such flights. Arms passing through Schiphol came for the most part from the United States and included millions of parts and items of munition. In its answers, the government said that it saw no reason to hinder this trade, from which it might be assumed that it is indeed continuing, with the weapons clearly destined for use in the war against Lebanon and/or the Palestinians.