Dutch FM resigns post over Israel

(MENAFN) Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp has resigned, protesting the coalition government’s refusal to impose sanctions on Israel amid its ongoing military operations in Gaza. The resignation, alongside that of Minister for Foreign Trade Hanneke Boerma, has left the Dutch caretaker government holding just 32 of 150 parliamentary seats.

In a statement on Saturday, the Dutch foreign ministry said that following a cabinet meeting on the Gaza situation, the Social Contract (NSC) party, to which both ministers belong, chose to withdraw from the caretaker coalition.

Veldkamp, a former Dutch ambassador to Israel, had pushed for a ban on imports from Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories as a response to Israel’s military offensive. The NSC stated it had sought “additional measures” against Israel in light of the worsening humanitarian crisis, but its coalition partners declined, prompting the resignation.

Recently, the Netherlands joined 20 other countries in condemning Israel’s plans for an illegal settlement in the West Bank. Last month, Amsterdam declared two hardline Israeli ministers persona non grata.

The escalation in Gaza follows a Hamas attack in October 2023 that killed around 1,200 people and took 250 hostages. Since then, Israeli strikes have reportedly killed over 62,000 people, mostly civilians, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry.

Amid growing international concern, several Western nations, including France and the UK, have signaled willingness to recognize Palestinian statehood, while Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares urged the EU to suspend the Israel association agreement and halt arms sales. Earlier this week, the Israel Defense Forces launched an operation to seize full control of Gaza City.

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