'Israel' summons Dutch ambassador over Amsterdam's ban on ministers
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Tensions rise between "Israel" and the Netherlands after Dutch authorities ban ministers Ben Gvir and Smotrich over Gaza policies, prompting a warning from Gideon Saar.
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Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar arrives for the EU-Southern Neighbourhood ministerial meeting at the EU Council building in Brussels, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP)
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar summoned Dutch Ambassador Marriet Schuurman on Tuesday to protest what he described as the Netherlands' “open hostility” toward "Israel". The diplomatic move followed the Dutch government’s decision to ban Police Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering the country.
"I expressed regret that the outgoing Dutch government chose to convert a long-standing friendship with Israel into open hostility towards it, precisely during its difficult time, probably out of political interests. This attitude will not remain one-sided and without a response," Sa'ar wrote on X.
Dutch government bans Israeli ministers over Gaza
Earlier the same day, Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp announced that the entry ban was imposed due to the two ministers’ repeated incitement of settler violence against Palestinians, their advocacy for the expansion of illegal settlements, and their calls for ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip.
The Netherlands joins other Western countries in taking punitive measures against far-right Israeli officials. On June 10, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Norway imposed sanctions on both Ben Gvir and Smotrich, citing similar grounds of incitement and human rights violations.
Saar rejected the effectiveness of such pressure, claiming that attempts by Western nations to influence Israeli policy would fail and could obstruct ceasefire and captive negotiations in Gaza.
Netherlands' push for Palestinian statehood recognition
The diplomatic rift comes just days after Frans Timmermans, leader of the largest Dutch opposition bloc GroenLinks–PvdA, publicly called for the Netherlands to recognize the State of Palestine, describing it as "a necessary step toward peace."
The developments underscore a growing divide between European governments and "Israel" over the war on Gaza and the future of Palestinian statehood.
Read more: Netherlands sued over failure to end Israeli violations of int'l law
