A proposal to halt arms supplies to Israel, even for defensive purposes, passed with over 83% support at the joint GroenLinks-PvdA congress, igniting strong emotions and leading to tears from prominent PvdA figure Gerdi Verbeet. The vote underscores a significant shift in the merged leftist parties’ stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The decision is unlikely to be adopted by the Dutch government, however, members expressed passionate opinions. Former alderman Reshma Roopram was booed when she tried to speak against the motion and subsequently resigned from the party.

The atmosphere was described as grim, with dissenting voices being met with jeers and sharp rebukes, forcing the moderator to call for calm and ensure a safe environment for all attendees. Despite the tension, motion-sponsor MP Kati Piri acknowledged the strong emotions but urged for composure, with limited success.

Younger members celebrated the vote as a victory, expressing hope for electoral gains through a stricter stance on Israel, as it is said to reflect the sentiments of a large segment of the Dutch population. One member suggested it could attract new voters and potentially propel GroenLinks-PvdA to become the largest party.

Party leader Frans Timmermans affirmed his support for the parliamentary group’s call to “temporarily” halt arms supplies to Israel, aiming to push Prime Minister Netanyahu to the negotiating table. Timmermans acknowledged the pain and sorrow caused by the decision, particularly within the Jewish community in the Netherlands.

While Timmermans hopes these differences are discussed, he warned against forces attempting to undermine the party’s commitment to peace and compassion. Despite the potential electoral risks, he stated that he is unconcerned about how other parties, like the VVD, might perceive the stance in future coalition talks, indicating that the decision was not influenced by considerations of alienating other political groups.