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NGOs Sue Denmark to End Arms Export to Israel

Israeli soldiers walk near the border with Gaza Strip in southern Israel on March 12, 2024, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (AFP)
Israeli soldiers walk near the border with Gaza Strip in southern Israel on March 12, 2024, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (AFP)
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NGOs Sue Denmark to End Arms Export to Israel

Israeli soldiers walk near the border with Gaza Strip in southern Israel on March 12, 2024, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (AFP)
Israeli soldiers walk near the border with Gaza Strip in southern Israel on March 12, 2024, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (AFP)

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.

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.

Amnesty International Denmark, Oxfam Denmark, ActionAid Denmark and Palestinian human rights organization Al-Haq in a joint statement said they will sue the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Police, which approves Danish sales of weapons and military equipment. They said they would file the lawsuit to a yet unspecified court within the next three weeks.

The Danish foreign ministry and the National Police did not have an immediate comment.

"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 in a statement.

Israel denies committing war crimes in its offensive in Gaza, launched in response to an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas fighters in which 1,200 Israelis were killed. Gaza authorities say over 31,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war.

Responding to international outcry over the heavy humanitarian toll of its campaign, Israel has said it was doing all it could to minimize civilian casualties, blaming Hamas for fighting in densely populated areas.

The World Court in January ordered Israel to prevent acts of genocide against Palestinians and do more to help civilians, although it stopped short of ordering a ceasefire as requested by South Africa.

Denmark is a signatory of the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty, making all its arms transfers subject to rigorous risk and human rights assessments.

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China Conducts Air and Sea Drills Near Taiwan, Blaming Recent Statements by US and Taiwanese Leaders 

This photograph released by Taiwan Ministry of National Defense taken from a Taiwan Air Force P-3C Orion anti-submarine aircraft, shows a Chinese Cloud Shadow WZ-10 drone near Taiwan, Monday, March 17, 2025. (Taiwan Ministry of National Defense via AP)
This photograph released by Taiwan Ministry of National Defense taken from a Taiwan Air Force P-3C Orion anti-submarine aircraft, shows a Chinese Cloud Shadow WZ-10 drone near Taiwan, Monday, March 17, 2025. (Taiwan Ministry of National Defense via AP)
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China Conducts Air and Sea Drills Near Taiwan, Blaming Recent Statements by US and Taiwanese Leaders 

This photograph released by Taiwan Ministry of National Defense taken from a Taiwan Air Force P-3C Orion anti-submarine aircraft, shows a Chinese Cloud Shadow WZ-10 drone near Taiwan, Monday, March 17, 2025. (Taiwan Ministry of National Defense via AP)
This photograph released by Taiwan Ministry of National Defense taken from a Taiwan Air Force P-3C Orion anti-submarine aircraft, shows a Chinese Cloud Shadow WZ-10 drone near Taiwan, Monday, March 17, 2025. (Taiwan Ministry of National Defense via AP)

An unusually large number of Chinese military ships, planes and drones entered airspace and waters surrounding Taiwan between Sunday and Monday, the self-governing island republic's Defense Ministry said.

China said the drills were a response to recent statements and actions by the US and Taiwan.

The ministry on Tuesday published on its social media several images of Chinese drones and ships and said 43 out of 59 of them entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone but that no confrontations were reported. Taiwan monitored the situation and deployed aircraft, navy ships and coastal anti-ship missile defenses in response, the ministry said.

China launches such missions on a daily basis in hopes of wearing down Taiwanese defenses and morale, although the vast majority of the island’s 23 million people reject Beijing's claim of sovereignty over Taiwan and its threat to use force to assert its control.

It’s unclear what prompted the large Chinese deployment. Daily figures often vary widely based on statements by the Taiwanese authorities or their US partners.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Monday the drills were “a resolute response to foreign connivance and support to Taiwan independence, and a serious warning to Taiwan separatist forces.”

China’s military actions are “necessary, legal and justified measures to defend national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity,” Mao said.

“In particular, the United States deleted the literal expression that reflected the one-China principle and that did not support Taiwan independence on the website of the US Department of State, which indicates wrong signals to Taiwan separatist forces,” Mao was quoted as saying.

Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te also raised Beijing's hackles last week when he said that Taiwan law designates mainland China as a “foreign hostile force” and said tougher measures were being taken to prevent Chinese subversion through the media and civic exchanges. Lai also warned of the danger of influential figures and current and retired military members selling secrets to China.

The Taiwan Strait is an international body of water and one of the most important channels for global trade. While China does not interfere with civilian shipping in the Strait — or in the South China Sea to the south that it claims almost in its entirety — it routinely objects to actions by the US and other foreign navies in the area.

China on Saturday lashed out at accusations by top diplomats from the Group of 7 industrialized democracies who said Beijing is endangering maritime safety.

The G7 had said in a joint statement: “We condemn China’s illicit, provocative, coercive and dangerous actions that seek unilaterally to alter the status quo in such a way as to risk undermining the stability of regions, including through land reclamations, and building of outposts, as well as their use for military purpose.”

China called the G7 statement “filled with arrogance, prejudice and malicious intentions.”

Faced with the rising threat from China, Taiwan has ordered new missiles, aircraft and other armaments from the US, while revitalizing its own defense industry with submarines and other key items.