Israel has revoked the diplomatic credentials of Dutch officials working in the occupied West Bank, a move that escalates tensions between Israel and the Netherlands over the latter’s restrictions on goods from Israeli settlements. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced that the Dutch Embassy had been notified that its diplomats in Ramallah must return their Israeli-issued diplomatic documents within seven days.
This action follows the Netherlands’ decision to impose restrictions on goods originating from Israeli settlements in the West Bank, a policy that took effect on September 22. Israel has consistently opposed measures targeting its settlements and criticized countries that have implemented restrictions or taken other actions concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Sa’ar stated that Dutch officials wishing to continue their activities in the West Bank could do so with authorization from the Palestinian Authority. This development adds to the growing diplomatic strain between Israel and several European nations concerning settlement policies and the broader situation in the Palestinian territories.