The Dutch cabinet is escalating pressure on Israel due to the catastrophic humanitarian situation and famine in Gaza, resulting from Israeli actions. Prime Minister Dick Schoof conveyed the new Dutch stance to Israeli President Isaac Herzog, emphasizing the urgent need for unhindered and safe access to humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza.
The situation in Gaza is described as disastrous and deteriorating, with Israel allegedly preventing access to food for months, leading to starvation among Palestinians. The Israeli army is also reportedly continuing deadly attacks resulting in civilian casualties. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has described the situation as having an unparalleled level of death and destruction.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Caspar Veldkamp, stated that the Israeli ambassador will be summoned at ministerial level to strongly urge the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to change course, emphasizing that “the current situation is intolerable and indefensible.”
The export of weapons to Israel is also being restricted. Veldkamp stated that it will be virtually impossible to grant permits for the export of weapons that could contribute to the activities of the Israeli armed forces in Gaza or the West Bank.
The European Commission has also concluded that Israel is not adhering to human rights agreements in the Association Agreement and intends to discontinue the Horizon program, a collaboration project in science and innovation.
Previously, the Dutch cabinet favored EU-level measures against Israel, but now sees merit in national action due to the worsening situation. While some EU member states, such as Germany, are hesitant to take far-reaching measures, the Netherlands is not the only EU country considering individual action. French President Emmanuel Macron recently announced that France will proceed to recognize the Palestinian state.
The ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir (National Security) and Bezalel Smotrich (Finance) are controversial due to their extremist statements and they are no longer welcome to The Netherlands.