Israel Warns Citizens of 'Long, Offensive' Checks in Netherlands Over New Trade Ban

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a special warning on Monday, September 28, for Israelis traveling to the Netherlands. This follows reports of unusually thorough customs inspections of luggage from passengers arriving from Israel. The ministry cautioned that travelers might face "prolonged and offensive baggage inspections." The new Dutch regulation, which took effect on September 22, prohibits the import of goods produced in Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights. Violating this regulation is a criminal offense punishable by fines and potentially imprisonment.

Israeli Foreign Ministry officials stated they are investigating the reports of intensified checks, the scale of the inspections, and how the regulation is being applied. The Israeli government views the situation seriously and has taken reciprocal measures, with the Foreign Ministry and the Israeli Embassy in The Hague monitoring developments and planning to update the public. The Dutch decree forbids the import, acquisition, sale, and commercial brokerage of goods originating from what the Netherlands defines as Israeli "illegal settlements."

Reports from passengers arriving on a direct flight from Tel Aviv to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport on September 28 described enhanced security checks. According to Dutch publication Nieuwsrecht, these checks involved mandatory X-ray screening of suitcases and questioning passengers about items like wine, dates, and olives from the disputed territories. However, at the time of reporting, there was no official confirmation from Dutch authorities that the regulation was being specifically enforced through targeted passenger checks from Israel.

Representatives from Amsterdam's Jewish community suggested the checks were part of routine random screenings, not an intensified regime, and that no arrests were imminent. One community member noted that while the number of people selected for checks was not unusual, it was the first instance where passengers from Israel were questioned about goods from Judea and Samaria and the Golan Heights. An Israeli citizen scheduled to fly to the Netherlands expressed concern about potential difficulties in proving the origin of his belongings.

In response to the Dutch measures, Foreign Minister Gidon Saar informed the Dutch Embassy in Israel that Dutch diplomats working in Ramallah must return their Israeli-issued diplomatic documents within seven days. Saar stated that after this period, their immunities and privileges granted by Israel would expire. He added that if the Netherlands wishes to continue representing its interests to Palestinians, it should do so from the Palestinian Authority's territory, not from Israel. Saar also recalled the cessation of the Dutch representative office's activities at the International Coordination Center for Gaza in Kiryat Gat the previous month. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee also criticized the Dutch actions, calling them "madness" and a "real scandal" after hearing from Dutch tourists about souvenir checks related to the new regulation.