Dutch Foreign Ministry calls in Israel's envoy after Jerusalem strips diplomatic status from Dutch representatives in Ramallah; latest escalation follows Dutch ban on goods from Judea and Samaria
The Dutch Foreign Ministry summoned Israel's ambassador on Monday following Jerusalem's decision to strip diplomatic status from Dutch representatives operating in Ramallah. The move marks a further escalation in the diplomatic standoff between the two countries, which began intensifying after the Netherlands imposed an economic boycott on Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria.
Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen, who called Israel's decision "unnecessary," said he wants the ambassador, Zvi Aviner Vapni, to explain the details and impact of the measure. Vapni is expected at the Dutch Foreign Ministry on Tuesday.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar announced on Sunday the removal of diplomatic status from Dutch diplomats operating in Ramallah, giving them seven days to return the diplomatic documentation issued to them by Israel. "At the end of this period, the immunities and privileges granted to them by the State of Israel in this framework will expire," Sa'ar stated.
Economic boycott triggers crisis
The current tension stems from the implementation last week of a Dutch order banning imports and trade in products from Judea and Samaria, eastern Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights. Following the rollout of the restrictions, passengers arriving from Israel at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport have reported unusually thorough customs inspections of their luggage.
Sa'ar clarified in his statement that "if the Netherlands wishes to continue representing its interests vis-à-vis the Palestinians, it can do so from Palestinian Authority territory and not from the territory of the State of Israel." Israel previously took measures against the Netherlands earlier this year, including the removal of the Dutch delegation from the US-led Gaza coordination mission operating in Israel.
Netherlands among hostile European states
The tension with the Netherlands comes amid a broader rise in antisemitism and hostility toward Israel across Europe. Over the past year, there has been a sharp increase in serious violence against Jews in the West.
The Netherlands was among five countries, along with Ireland, Spain, Iceland and Slovenia, that withdrew from this year's Eurovision Song Contest over Israel's participation, though it announced last week that it will return to the competition in 2027. Nevertheless, the current diplomatic move indicates continued hostility at the government level.
In recent months, serious attacks against Jews have been recorded in various European countries. In March, an explosive device detonated at a Jewish school in Amsterdam, a day after an arson attack on a synagogue in Rotterdam. Later that month, in London, four ambulances belonging to the Hatzola organization were set on fire in the Jewish neighborhood of Golders Green. A new Iran-linked terror group, Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, claimed responsibility for a series of these attacks.
Foreign Minister Sa'ar said in his statement that "Israel will not ignore measures that harm the country." The Dutch move to summon Israel's ambassador indicates that the diplomatic tension is expected to continue, with the two countries on a clear collision course.
