By Euronews
Published on
The Dutch government is set to ban two far-right Israeli government ministers from travelling to the Netherlands in response to Israel’s human rights violations and the continually deteriorating situation in Gaza.
The measures target Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, two key partners in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition.
The ban and other sanctions were announced in a letter Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp sent to lawmakers on Monday evening.
“They have repeatedly incited violence by settlers against the Palestinian population and … called for ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip,” the letter read, as reported by local media.
The Dutch government will also summon Israel’s ambassador to urge Netanyahu to “immediately take measures that lead to a substantial and rapid improvement in the humanitarian situation throughout the Gaza Strip,” the letter revealed.
Ben-Gvir and Smotrich are supportive of the Israeli settlement movement and are in favour of continuing the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, facilitating what they call “voluntary emigration” of Palestinians, and building Jewish settlements instead.
Both were defiant of the announcement. Ben-Gvir said he would “continue to act,” and Smotrich claimed European leaders are submitting to the “lies of radical Islam”.
Earlier this month, Slovenia banned Ben-Gvir and Smotrich from entering the country in response to a lack of joint action taken in Brussels by EU foreign ministers against Israel.
Similar moves were made last month by the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway, who imposed financial sanctions on the two men.
The Dutch government, which is gearing up for elections in October, has faced mounting pressure for it to change its stance on Israeli policy.
Additional sources • AP
