Dutch Court Upholds License to Kill: 'Government Discretion' Over Genocide
Al Jazeera reports the Dutch court rejected a bid to halt arms exports, arguing the government possesses "considerable discretion" to determine foreign policy. This isn't just a Dutch problem; it's a Western pattern. European governments, including the Netherlands, have long supplied military technology to Israel, often citing 'security cooperation' while conveniently ignoring its application in
occupied territories. For instance, the US alone has provided over $158 billion in bilateral assistance to Israel since 1948 (Council on Foreign Relations), a figure that speaks volumes about the priorities of these 'discretionary' foreign policies. When does a 'discretionary' policy become an accessory to documented war crimes? So, a court decides that enabling potential genocide falls under
'governmental discretion.' One has to wonder how many more mass graves, how many more pulverized neighborhoods, how many more UN resolutions on civilian protection must be ignored before 'discretion' becomes a liability. Or perhaps, 'discretion' is just a sophisticated term for looking the other way when the checks clear?