Military dogs from Netherlands used to attack, torture Palestinians: Report

The Netherlands’ ongoing export of military dogs to Israeli occupation forces—despite clear evidence of their use in the torture and intimidation of Palestinians—poses a serious risk of violating international law. Human rights organisations are urging an immediate suspension of these exports and the launch of an independent investigation.

The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor reported that its field team has documented multiple cases in which Israeli forces used trained dogs to attack Palestinian civilians, including children, the elderly, and the ill. These attacks often occurred during military raids on homes, hospitals, and shelters, especially in the Gaza Strip.

The organisation said that the use of attack dogs by Israeli forces is systematic, forming part of a broader policy of abuse and intimidation. In this context, the Netherlands’ role in supplying dogs and related equipment constitutes a clear breach of international humanitarian law.

The Monitor expressed deep concern over findings from the Centre for Research on Multinational Enterprises (SOMO), which revealed that Dutch companies secured veterinary certificates to export 110 dogs to Israel between October 2023 and February 2025. Of these, 100 were allocated to Four Winds K9, a dog training centre based in the village of Geven-known for its long-standing involvement in supplying canines to Israeli security forces.

According to the Monitor, the close collaboration between Israeli state agencies, Dutch businesses, and Four Winds K9 points to a transnational network that enables and sustains systematic human rights violations. This network plays a critical role in facilitating Israel’s repressive operations in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The organisation has called on the Dutch Parliament to initiate a full investigation into these exports. It also urged the Dutch government and involved companies to establish a compensation fund for Palestinian victims harmed by the use of these dogs in military operations.

For years, the Netherlands has supplied trained police dogs to Israeli forces, used in operations targeting Palestinian communities. These dogs have been deployed during violent raids, with documented cases of attacks on civilians, including women and children, particularly in Gaza.