Israeli Activist Warns of Expanding International Scrutiny on Travelers

Yosef Haddad, a candidate for Israel's Minister of Public Diplomacy, has voiced strong concerns regarding new Dutch authorities' measures to inspect luggage from Israel. These inspections aim to identify products originating from Judea and Samaria and the Golan Heights, sparking significant political and public debate.

Haddad warned that this development could be the first sign of a trend that might negatively impact Israel's international standing. He stated that Israeli travelers to the Netherlands would face extensive luggage searches, and criticized the Israeli Foreign Ministry's response as merely issuing a warning about "long and intrusive" baggage checks.

"Don't be mistaken, it starts in the Netherlands, but from there it will spread to more and more countries in Europe," Haddad cautioned. He further expressed apprehension about potential future repercussions for Israelis who served in reserve duty, suggesting they might face interrogations and accusations of "genocide" when traveling abroad.

Haddad sharply criticized what he described as a persistent failure of Israel's public diplomacy efforts and a lack of proactive engagement on the international stage. He argued that Israel has lacked effective public diplomacy for years, even after the October 7th attacks, leading to the current international sentiment against the country. He emphasized that public diplomacy is a "war for our lives" and that the current approach is insufficient.

He called for a fundamental shift in Israel's public diplomacy strategy, advocating for a proactive and continuous system rather than occasional speeches at the UN. Haddad noted that the current election campaign is not adequately addressing this issue, stating that his party, "Am Israel," is the only one prioritizing it. He reiterated his political ambition to establish a well-funded Ministry of Public Diplomacy to act as a protective shield for IDF soldiers, both during combat and afterward when traveling internationally.