Israel's Foreign Ministry has warned Israelis traveling to the Netherlands that they may face "long and invasive baggage checks" under a new Dutch ban on goods from Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, eastern Jerusalem and the Golan Heights.
The Dutch order, which took effect on September 22, applies to items carried in personal luggage as well as commercial imports, including souvenirs, gifts and products for personal use. According to the Foreign Ministry, violating it is a criminal offense that could result in fines or imprisonment.
"In recent days, the Foreign Ministry has received reports of customs inspections of luggage belonging to passengers who arrived in the Netherlands on flights from Israel," the ministry said, adding that it and Israel's embassy in The Hague were examining the reports and monitoring developments.
Passengers arriving at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport on a direct flight from Tel Aviv described unusually strict inspections, with luggage sent through X-ray machines and travelers questioned about wine, dates, olives and other products that could have come from areas covered by the ban. Passengers also complained about the conduct of some customs officials. When one passenger told an officer that the travelers were from Israel and did not speak Dutch, the officer reportedly shouted at him to "shut the f*** up and wait."
Members of Amsterdam's Jewish community said the checks appeared to be part of regular random customs inspections rather than an operation targeting entire flights, though one noted it was the first time travelers from Israel had been questioned about products from Judea and Samaria and the Golan.
Dutch Customs advises travelers to keep packaging, labels or documents showing a product's origin. Prohibited goods may be seized, with prosecutors deciding whether to pursue criminal action.
The ban has triggered a deepening diplomatic crisis. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar responded by stripping Dutch diplomats in Ramallah of their diplomatic status, and the Netherlands summoned Israel's ambassador, Zvi Aviner Vapni, who is due at the Dutch Foreign Ministry on Tuesday.
