Dutch PM Pledges Support for Visible Jewish Life Amidst Protests
Translated & summarized from Jüdische Allgemeine by baba
Thousands protested in Amsterdam against Israel and Dutch policy, demanding an end to military cooperation. Prime Minister Rob Jetten commemorated the 1938 pogroms, acknowledging rising antisemitism and vowing to protect the Jewish community. He stressed the need for visible Jewish life and societal resilience against hatred, recalling historical persecution.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Nearly 200,000 people protested in Amsterdam against Israel and Dutch policy.
- Protesters demand an end to all military cooperation between the Netherlands and Israel.
- Prime Minister Rob Jetten vowed to protect the Jewish community from antisemitism.
- CJO Chairman Chanan Hertzberger stated protesters' demands would "erase Israel from the map."
- The Netherlands commemorated the 1938 November pogroms and the deportation of Jews.
Nearly 200,000 people, many dressed in red, marched through Amsterdam on Sunday to protest against Israel and the Dutch government's Middle East policy. The demonstrators aimed to draw symbolic "red lines" and expressed dissatisfaction that while the Netherlands, under Prime Minister Rob Jetten, had banned imports from Israeli settlements in the West Bank, these measures did not go far enough. Protesters are now demanding an end to all military cooperation between the Netherlands and Israel.
On Monday, the Netherlands commemorated the November pogroms of 1938. At an event in the Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam, CJO Chairman Chanan Hertzberger addressed the previous day's protests, stating that the demonstrators' demands would effectively "erase Israel from the map." Hertzberger also strongly refuted accusations of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, highlighting that Jews in the Netherlands are being ostracized and marginalized due to these claims. He emphasized that condemnation of antisemitism is insufficient without concrete action.
Prime Minister Jetten acknowledged the resurgence of antisemitism, stating it has returned as if it never left. He assured the Jewish community that they should never fear for their safety again and called for society to become more resilient against antisemitism, emphasizing there is "no single excuse" for violence against Jews. Jetten recalled that after the 1938 pogroms, thousands of German Jews fled to the Netherlands seeking safety, a hope that proved tragically futile as the country was invaded by Germany two years later, leading to the deportation and near-annihilation of Dutch Jewry.
Jetten also stressed the importance of the Jewish community remaining visible, sharing that he had affixed a mezuzah to his door to signify his commitment to a country where Jewish life is openly expressed.
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