Dutch Parliament Opposes Imposing Sanctions on Israel

(MENAFN) The Dutch parliament on Saturday voted against imposing new sanctions on Israel, including a ban on weapons purchases and a boycott of products from occupied Palestinian territories, following a political shake-up that saw the departure of Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp and all ministers from the centrist New Social Contract (NSC) party, according to public broadcaster NOS.

Despite strong backing from opposition parties for punitive measures, none of the proposals gained a majority after the NSC’s exit, which significantly weakened the ruling coalition's position. Among the rejected motions was the formal recognition of a Palestinian state.

Lawmakers did, however, support a motion urging Israel to grant access to both international and local journalists and observers in Gaza, amid growing global concern over the humanitarian crisis there. In a rare show of unity, parliament unanimously endorsed a stance calling for the "complete destruction" of Hamas.

Caretaker Prime Minister Dick Schoof addressed the ongoing crisis in a statement on X (formerly Twitter), acknowledging the gravity of the conflict. "Everybody" is aware of the fact that the "steadily worsening situation" in Gaza is "dramatic," he wrote. "We all see the immense suffering and all of us would prefer that the humanitarian situation improve sooner rather than later. However, that recognition did not lead yesterday to a joint conclusion among the three parties. The departure of the NSC ministers makes further reflection on the resulting political situation necessary."

Schoof also expressed sorrow over the sudden cabinet resignations. "Especially in light of the responsibility the cabinet bears in this caretaker phase," he said, "deep regret" over the ministers’ decision to step down.

The prime minister had planned a diplomatic visit to Ukraine next week but has since canceled it to focus on navigating the domestic political fallout and identifying replacements for the now-vacant ministerial roles.

With the NSC's departure, the fragile four-party coalition—formed just 14 months ago—is now reduced to the right-leaning VVD and agrarian-focused BBB. The coalition had already been under strain after Geert Wilders' far-right PVV withdrew in early July over disagreements on migration policy.

Schoof, whose remaining coalition holds just 32 of 150 seats in parliament, has said he will seek external guidance before making further decisions on how to proceed.

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