Netherlands Recalls Israeli Ambassador Over Diplomatic Tit-for-Tat

The Netherlands has recalled its ambassador to Israel in protest after Israel revoked the diplomatic accreditation of Dutch diplomats working with the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah. The Israeli measure was a direct response to Amsterdam's ban on imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Dutch Foreign Minister Tom de Bruijn expressed deep regret over what he called an "unnecessary" Israeli decision. He emphasized that the settlement import ban "does not target Israel" but is a commitment to international law, specifically the obligation not to contribute to illegal situations, such as illegal settlements. De Bruijn stated that he would meet with the Israeli ambassador to discuss the details and consequences for the Dutch diplomats, who have been given seven days to leave. The exact number of affected diplomats is still being determined.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gidon Sa'ar announced Sunday that Dutch diplomats in the West Bank had seven days to surrender their Israeli-issued diplomatic documents. After this deadline, their diplomatic privileges and immunities granted by Israel would expire. Sa'ar suggested that the Netherlands could continue to represent its interests with the Palestinians from within the Palestinian Authority's territory if it wished.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned what it termed "Israeli blackmail of Dutch diplomacy" and called for international unity to protect diplomatic work in Palestine. It asserted that Dutch diplomats are welcome in Palestine and that Israel has no sovereignty over any part of Palestinian territory. The ministry accused Israel of using threats and blackmail to pressure countries and reduce international and diplomatic presence in Palestine to carry out its "crimes without witnesses."

The diplomatic dispute follows the implementation of the Dutch ban on settlement product imports on September 22. Israeli media reported that luggage from travelers arriving from Israel was inspected at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport to ensure no settlement products were being brought in. Earlier reports indicated that Dutch authorities had searched the luggage of passengers on an El Al flight from Tel Aviv for the same purpose. On September 14, twelve Western countries, including France, the UK, Canada, and several Nordic nations, announced their intention to impose trade restrictions on Israeli settlements.