Netherlands summons Israeli ambassador over revocation of Dutch diplomats' status in Ramallah

The Netherlands on Monday said it had summoned Israeli Ambassador Zvi Aviner Vapni over a decision to revoke the diplomatic status of Dutch representatives at the mission in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.

Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen condemned the Israeli decision as an “unnecessary” measure, warning it was bound to have “extremely serious consequences.” The move was announced by his Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa’ar on Sunday, with the top diplomat stripping the Dutch diplomats of their “Israeli-issued diplomatic documentation,” which must be returned within seven days.

The Israeli foreign minister cited the enactment of a Dutch import ban on Israeli goods originating from illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, as well as from the Golan Heights, as the pretext for the latest move.

“If the Netherlands wishes to continue representing its interests with the Palestinians, it may do so from Palestinian Authority territory, rather than from the territory of the State of Israel,” Sa’ar said in a statement, accusing The Hague of pursuing “anti-Israel policies.” Access to the West Bank is only possible via Israel or the border checkpoints it controls.

Given the ever-tightening grip of Israeli security forces and the fact that there have been no operational airports in the Palestinian territories for quite some time, the move makes the work of the Dutch mission to Ramallah impossible and effectively amounts to an expulsion of the diplomats.

Last month, when the import ban was adopted by the Dutch government, West Jerusalem expelled representatives of the Netherlands from Kiryat Gat’s International Support Center for Gaza. “Our message is clear: Those who act against Israel will have no foothold in the region. Israel will not allow measures to be taken against it without a response,” Sa’ar said at the time.

Ties between Israel and the Netherlands, as well as many other EU nations, have gradually worsened in recent years. Israel’s heavy-handed campaign in Gaza, prompted by the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, as well as rapid state-sponsored expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, have impacted relations. While individual members have introduced certain restrictions against Israel, the bloc has failed to provide a unified response to the situation in Palestine, with Brussels repeatedly facing criticism for applying “double standards” in its policies.