Israel removes Netherlands representatives from Gaza center following settlement goods ban

In a statement released on X/Twitter, Sa’ar highlighted the Netherlands’s recent ban on the import of products made in Israeli West Bank settlements as an example of Dutch anti-Israel policies.

Representatives of the Netherlands will be expelled from Kiryat Gat’s International Support Center for Gaza due to the Dutch government’s adoption of anti-Israel legislation, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced on Tuesday.

According to Sa’ar, the expulsion was ordered with the approval of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Dutch Embassy was notified on 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 asserted.

The representatives will be expelled from the center, previously known as the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC), immediately and must leave the country within one week.

Dutch ban on West Bank goods accompanied by wave of antisemitism 

Sa’ar noted that the Dutch government’s anti-Israel policies have been accompanied by a wave of antisemitism in the Netherlands.

In a statement released on X/Twitter, Sa’ar highlighted the Netherlands’s recent ban on the import, sale, and purchase of products made in Israeli West Bank settlements and the Golan Heights. 

The ban was proposed in May of this year, made official in late July, and will take effect on September 22.

When the ban was proposed, a government press release said Dutch nationals and entities inside and outside the Netherlands would be prohibited from buying, selling, or providing intermediary services related to goods produced in settlements.

The Dutch cabinet claimed that the ban was aimed at preventing “Dutch economic activities from contributing to the perpetuation of a situation that is contrary to international law.