Netherlands Categorizes Israel as Foreign Threat for First Time

(MENAFN) For the first time, the Netherlands has officially categorized Israel as a foreign state posing a security threat, according to a new report from the Dutch National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism (NCTV).

The report, titled Assessment of Threats from State Actors, highlights Israel’s attempts to sway Dutch public opinion and interfere in political processes through disinformation efforts.

Among the examples, the report references a document distributed last year by an Israeli ministry to Dutch politicians and journalists via unofficial channels. The document reportedly included unusual and intrusive personal information about Dutch citizens, amid tensions sparked by a Maccabi Tel Aviv football supporters’ rally in Amsterdam.

Additionally, the NCTV expressed growing alarm over increasing threats from both Israel and the United States directed at the International Criminal Court (ICC) based in The Hague. The report warns that such pressure risks undermining the ICC’s judicial work.

As the host nation for key international legal bodies, the Netherlands bears a "special responsibility" to protect their functioning against external interference.

While prior NCTV assessments raised concerns about Israeli spyware and surveillance activities, this latest report stops short of directly linking Israel to espionage operations.

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