Israel removes Netherlands representatives from Gaza center following settlement goods ban
Representatives of the Netherlands will be expelled from Kiryat Gat’s International Support Center for Gaza following the Dutch government’s adoption of anti-Israel legislation, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced Tuesday.
Sa’ar said the expulsion was approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and that the Dutch Embassy was notified Tuesday evening.
“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,” he said.
The representatives will be expelled from the center, formerly known as the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC), immediately and must leave Israel within one week.
Sa’ar said the Dutch government’s anti-Israel policies have been accompanied by a wave of antisemitism in the Netherlands. He also cited the Netherlands’ recent ban on importing, selling and purchasing products made in settlements in Judea and Samaria, as well as the Golan Heights.
Proposed in May and formalized in late July, the ban takes effect September 22. It prohibits Dutch nationals and entities, inside and outside the Netherlands, from buying, selling or providing intermediary services for settlement-produced goods.
The Dutch cabinet said the measure aims to prevent “Dutch economic activities from contributing to the perpetuation of a situation that is contrary to international law.”
