Netherlands declares two Israeli ministers persona non grata

Amsterdam: The Netherlands has declared Israel’s finance and national security ministers persona non grata for inciting violence and urging ethnic cleansing in Gaza.

In June, the Netherlands backed a failed Swedish proposal to impose EU sanctions on Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

“They repeatedly incited settler violence against Palestinians, promoted illegal settlement expansion, and called for ethnic cleansing in Gaza,” Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp told parliament in a letter released late Monday.

Ben-Gvir said he would continue to act for Israel, even if he was banned from entering “all of Europe”.

Veldkamp said the Netherlands wanted to “relieve the suffering of the population in Gaza” and was exploring further ways to contribute to humanitarian aid.

“Airdrops of food are relatively expensive and risky,” he said.

“This is why the Netherlands is also taking steps to further support land-based aid delivery.”

Aid drops resumed in Gaza on Sunday as Israel announced temporary humanitarian pauses in parts of the besieged territory.

Around 2.4 million Palestinians in Gaza are facing what UN aid agencies have warned is a deadly wave of starvation and malnutrition.

The UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Initiative (IPC) said on Tuesday that famine is unfolding across much of Gaza, with thresholds breached and over 20,000 children treated for acute malnutrition since April.

Veldkamp said the Netherlands would push to suspend the trade element of the EU-Israel Association Agreement if Israel fails to meet its humanitarian obligations.

“The summons will also be used to remind Israel to comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law,” he said.

After speaking by phone with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said the government’s position was “crystal clear”.

“The people of Gaza must be given immediate, unfettered, safe access to humanitarian aid,” he said.

Israel’s foreign ministry said Foreign Affairs Minister Gideon Sa’ar had summoned the Dutch ambassador Marriët Schuurman to Jersualem for a formal reprimand on Tuesday afternoon.

“The conversation will take place in light of the Dutch government’s decisions to take measures against Israel, including against its right to defend itself and against ministers in its government,” the ministry said in a statement.