Amsterdam: Tens of thousands demonstrate against Israel's Gaza policy

Tens of thousands of people demonstrated in Amsterdam against Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip. They called on the Dutch government to put more pressure on Israel. According to Amnesty International in the Netherlands, more than 200,000 people took part in the march. The human rights organization helped organize the protest.

The organizers of the protests under the slogan “Red Line” are calling for tougher trade sanctions and a stop to all arms sales to Israel. In addition, the government should officially classify Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip as genocide.

Protests largely peaceful

According to police, the protest was largely peaceful. A group with banners reading “We support Hamas” could also be seen along the route. The organizers emphasized that the demonstration was aimed primarily at human rights activists.

Israel firmly rejects the accusation of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Rob Jetten, who took part in such a march last year, was not there this time. The left-wing liberal had already defended his government's course on Friday.

Diplomatic conflict with Israel

The war strained relations between the Netherlands and Israel. Last year, the Dutch foreign minister resigned after failing to impose new sanctions against Israel. The minority government that is now in power imposed a ban on imports of goods from Israeli settlements. This led to a diplomatic dispute with Israel.