The Dutch cabinet is taking a number of concrete steps for the first time to increase the pressure on Israel. For example, the government wants to set entry bans for the extreme right-wing ministers ITAMAR BEN-GVIR (National Security) and Bezalel Smotrich (Finance). The Israeli ambassador will also be summoned and will try to limit the Netherlands through Europe trade with Israel. Outgoing Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp (NSC) announced this on Monday found in a letter to the Lower House.
Veldkamp speaks of a “catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip”. Israel must therefore ‘immediately (…) measures [nemen] That lead to substantial and rapid improvement of the humanitarian situation in the entire Gaza Strip. ”
The preference remains with European measures, it seems. On Tuesday, there will be a meeting in Brussels about possible European steps. If it turns out that Israel does not comply with humanitarian agreements with the European Union, then the Netherlands will “make an effort” to suspend the trade part of the association agreement between the EU and Israel.
The Netherlands will also support a proposal from the European Commission to partly exclude Israel from an EU research program to promote start-ups and small companies. This requires a majority of 55 percent of Member States that represent 65 percent of the European population in Europe.
Entry ban and more feeding drops
Regardless of a ‘European track’, the Dutch cabinet also owned the extreme right-wing Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich explains ‘persona non grata’, Veldkamp writes. Because of their violent statements, they receive a entry ban, among other things, the colonization of the West Bank.
In order to inform Israel of Dutch steps, the Modi Ephraim ambassador is summoned on a ministerial level. Veldkamp had already called Israel’s ambassador to the mat in March, but then this was at a lower official level.
In addition to political coercive means, Veldkamp says more help in the humanitarian field. For example, the outgoing cabinet “views” the possibility of making a contribution “to supply through land or air. Since last Friday, Israel has all about other countries taking care of food drops over the Gaza Strip.
Veldkamp, however, calls this a ‘relatively expensive and risky relief instrument’. In 2024, The Hague opted for this: then in collaboration with other countries, the Netherlands dropped medical relief supplies and food packages above the besieged area. A C-130 transport plane of the Royal Netherlands Air Force was used for this.
The Netherlands does say money to support assistance via country. 1.5 million euros goes to a UN agency that contributes to a humanitarian supply route via Jordan. In addition, the Netherlands announces an extra contribution of 3 million euros to the Dutch Red Cross, which supports the work of the Palestinian red crescent.
Herzog angry
Earlier on Monday, outgoing Prime Minister Schoof had already announced in an X-message that the outgoing cabinet had decided to ‘consider national measures towards Israel’. He also announced that he had transferred the cabinet plans to the Israeli president Isaac Herzog by telephone.
In a response to Schoofs X message, Herzog said that Schoof does not give a fair representation of their telephone conversation. “This tweet does not correctly display the scope and details of our telephone conversation,” said Herzog. What exactly is wrong with Schoof’s view, he doesn’t say. Herzog says he has in any case indicated that he thinks that sanctions would be a “huge mistake.”
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Prime Minister Schoof Belt with Israeli president about possible national sanctions