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The Advisory Committee on Public International Law (CAVV), which advises the Dutch government on international law, has criticised the cabinet for failing to speak out clearly against violations by the United States and Israel, warning that its approach to international law has shifted.

In a self-initiated report titled "International law as the compass of Dutch foreign policy", the committee called for a consistent, law-based response to serious violations, whichever state is responsible.

Recommended actions for the government

The CAVV stressed that speaking out against serious violations of humanitarian law is not a political option but a legal obligation arising from the Geneva Conventions and the Genocide Convention. It recommended that the government take a consistent stance against such violations.

The committee also asked the government, in its role as host state, to raise its voice clearly against measures that obstruct the work of the international courts based in The Hague, and to press for the use of existing instruments within the European Union, including sanctions.

Key takeaways

• The CAVV says the Dutch government condemns Russian violations in Ukraine openly but is silent or cautious on US and Israeli actions.
• The government condemned sanctions against the ICC without naming the United States as the responsible state.
• Coalition texts describing international law as "not automatically a priority" signal that it is applied selectively, the report says.
• The committee calls for a consistent stance, arguing that speaking out on serious violations is a legal duty, not a political choice.