Caspar Veldkamp and other ministers leave the descent after the cabinet rejected sanctions against Israel, which caused a broader political upheaval.
Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp resigned after failing to obtain support from the cabinet for additional sanctions against Israel for his military assault in Gaza.
Veldkamp, a member of the new part of the center-right social contract, said on Friday that he could not agree on “significant measures” and had repeatedly confronted the resistance of colleagues on sanctions already in place.
His efforts included the imposition of prohibitions for prohibition to far-right Israeli ministers, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, citing their role in the incentive to the violence of the colonists against the Palestinians.
Veldkamp also revoked three export permits for the components of naval ships, warning to “deteriorate the conditions” in Gaza and the “risk of unwanted final use”.
“I also see what is happening on the ground in Gaza, the attack on Gaza City and what is happening in the West Bank, the construction decision for the disputed regulations E1 and East Jerusalem,” Veldkamp told journalists.
His departure leaves the Netherlands without a Minister of Foreign Affairs while the European Union sails on security guarantees for Ukraine and continues talks with the United States on prices.
After his resignation, all the new ministers of social contracts and secretaries of state confirmed their support to Veldkamp and resigned from the government of the solidarity goalkeeper.
The Vaessen step of Tel Aviv Tribune, reporting from Berlin on developments in the Netherlands, said that Veldkamp was “under the growing pressure of the legislators in Parliament, in particular the opposition which asked for more strict sanctions against Israel”.
While Veldkamp had announced bans to travel for two Israeli ministers a few weeks ago, Vaessen said that the Minister of Foreign Affairs was facing increasing requests after Israel’s attacks on Gaza City and “growing assault” that the Dutch government “should do more”.
“Veldkamp also put pressure for a suspension of the trade agreement that the EU has with Israel,” added Vaessen, noting that the Dutch foreign minister was “more and more frustrated because Germany was blocking this. There was also this push of the Dutch parliament on Israel alone”.
European-Israeli relations
Despite limited Dutch sanctions against Israel, the country continues to support the F-35 Fighter Jet supply chain of Israel.
The search for the Palestinian Young Movement shared with Tel Aviv Tribune in June shows that ships carrying F-35 components frequently landed at the port of Rotterdam, operated by the Danish navigation company Maersk.
The F-35 jets have been used by Israel in air strikes on Gaza, which left a large part of the strip in ruins and have contributed to the death of more than 62,000 people since October 2023.
Earlier this week, the Netherlands joined 20 other nations to condemn the approval by Israel of a great expansion of regulation of the West Bank, appealing it “unacceptable and contrary to international law”.
Meanwhile, Israel’s military attacks against Gaza continue, forcing civilians from Gaza City to the south in the middle of growing famine. A global hunger instructor confirmed on Friday that residents of Gaza City and the surrounding area are officially confronted with famine conditions.
No Veldkamp successor has been announced. The Dutch Government of the Guardian, which has been in place since the collapse of the previous coalition on June 3, should remain until a new coalition is formed after the elections in October, a process that could take months.