The ruling does not mean that shipments will not automatically resume.

The Netherlands’ Supreme Court has overturned a prohibition on exporting F-35 fighter jet components to Israel, annulling an earlier decision that had halted shipments. The ruling follows a government appeal against a judgment that had required a stop to the exports.

In February last year, a Dutch court of appeal ordered the government to cease the export of F-35 parts to Israel. The cabinet challenged that ruling in cassation, asking the Supreme Court to review the legal basis of the decision. The Supreme Court has now set aside the appellate judgment.

The outcome does not mean exports will restart immediately. Authorities must apply stricter licensing criteria that have been introduced since the earlier ruling, and any applications will be judged under those updated rules. Deliveries, if any, will therefore depend on fresh assessments rather than the legal lifting of the ban alone.

The case underscores the balance between judicial scrutiny and executive discretion in the Netherlands’ arms export regime. While the court has removed the blanket prohibition, the tougher framework now in force could still constrain approvals compared with the situation before the appellate court’s intervention.

The government has not yet outlined how it will implement the higher threshold in practice or when it might decide on pending requests. The Supreme Court’s decision clarifies the legal position, but the practical direction now rests with the authorities responsible for enforcing the tightened export criteria.