This week, the cabinet announced that it wants a re -entry ban of two ministers and that the ambassador of the country at Minister Veldkamp (Foreign Affairs) is called on the mat. “Veldkamp and Schoof bashen Israel and Wakkering anti -Semitism, “is one of the reactions to the intention of the cabinet.” Israel takes the chestnuts out of the fire, also for Europe. This is a hypocritical action, “says another respondent.
A voter believes: “Rightly so that a signal is given. However, Hamas must be destroyed and that has not happened yet. If the hostages are back, then Israel stops violence.”
Almost none of the voters believe that sanctions will help to put the violence in Gaza. Proponents of sanctions, a minority, believe that the sanctions do not go far enough. “The reaction of Israel to the hostages is extremist and disproportionate. This sadistic starving, where children meet a slow death is inhumane.”
The answers to the question of whether the Netherlands should follow the EU policy regarding Israel show a divided picture. One half of the respondents believe that the Netherlands should not take its own measures, the other half not. “Europe is so divided internally, a unanimous sound will never come,” someone responds.
After threat of sanctions by the EU, Israel offered humanitarian aid in Gaza. According to most respondents, this is sufficient help. “First deliver Hamas, then help,” says a voter.
A proposal from the EU is to stop the European-Israeli Hulus program Horizon. A majority of the voter does not think that this will make an impression. Another respondent also calls it ‘a waste of money’ if this program starts to stop. “And Israel will not be awake if two ministers are not allowed to enter the country. I think they had not intended that anyway.”
Three -quarters of voters think that if EU and the Netherlands are no longer supporting Israel, this will strengthen the position of Hamas. “In fact, the Palestinian population is the victim of Hamas, not of Israel. If Hamas had returned the hostages, this would not have had to escalate,” says a voter.
President Macron of France has announced that it recognizes the Palestinian state. A majority of respondents does not think that the Netherlands should do that. “I do not understand that there are European countries that are committed to founding a Palestinian state in Israel. This is asking for misery and so we get further away from home.”
The sympathy for the Gazans has not grown among the respondents since the start of the conflict in Gaza. They have no longer received compassion for the Palestinians. “I certainly have compassion for the Palestinian people,” says a voter. “But it says enough that no country in the region wants these people. Because you get Hamas for free.”