Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar announced Tuesday evening that Dutch representatives will be immediately removed from the International Support Center for Gaza located in Kiryat Gat, a city in southern Israel. The decision follows what Israeli officials describe as a series of hostile actions by the Dutch government, most recently the passage of legislation banning trade with Israeli products from Judea and Samaria (the West Bank), East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights.
In his statement, Sa'ar said the decision was made with the approval of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "Dutch representatives will be removed immediately from the International Support Center for Gaza in Kiryat Gat," Sa'ar declared. He pointed specifically to the Dutch parliament's recent passage of a law prohibiting commerce in Israeli goods from the disputed territories, legislation scheduled to enter into force next month.
The foreign minister confirmed that Israel's Dutch embassy was notified of the expulsion Tuesday evening, as were American officials. Dutch personnel have been given one week to leave Israel.
Sa'ar concluded his remarks with sharp criticism of Amsterdam's policies. "The anti-Israel policy of the Dutch government is accompanied by an unprecedented wave of antisemitism and boycotts in that country," he stated. "Our message is clear: whoever acts against Israel will have no foothold in the region. Israel will not allow actions against it to go unanswered."
