‘Terrorists Are Free and Jews Boycotted’: the Netherlands Bans Senior Israeli Ministers From Entering Country

The Netherlands has banned Israel’s finance and national security ministers from entering the country, citing their incitement to violence and calls for ethnic cleansing in Gaza. The Dutch foreign minister, Caspar Valdekamp, said the ban against Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir “is because they have repeatedly incited violence by settlers against the Palestinian population and … called for ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip.”Messrs. Ben-Gvir and Smotrich are members of the security cabinet and have both repeatedly said that Gaza should be emptied of Palestinians and Jewish settlements rebuilt. Mr. Ben-Gvir responded to the unprecedented move by a European ally of Israel, saying: “Even if I’m banned from all of Europe, I’ll keep working for our country and demanding that we topple Hamas and back our fighters. Our enemies are violent, murderous rapists.”“But in Europe … the one who goes on the offensive is guilty. In a place where terrorism is tolerated and terrorists are welcome, a Jewish minister from Israel is unwelcome. Terrorists are free and Jews are boycotted,” he said. Mr. Smotrich also responded to the announcement, saying: “What they don’t understand in the Netherlands and other European countries is that far more than it matters to me to enter the Netherlands, it matters to me that my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and those of all the Jews in the world, can live in the State of Israel in security for decades and centuries to come.” “In the Netherlands and Europe in general, Jews did not live in security at the beginning of the last century, and judging by the European hypocrisy, the surrender of its leaders to the lies of radical Islam, which is taking over, and the rising antisemitism there — Jews will not be able to live there in security in the future either even if it means standing firm against the entire world,” he added. In June, the U.K., Australia, Norway, Canada, and New Zealand also banned the two senior ministers from entering their countries, citing their incitement to violence against Palestinians. The move comes after the Dutch prime minister, Dick Schoof, warned that his country would support the EU in suspending Israel’s participation in the EU’s research program, Horizon, if Gaza is not given “immediate, unfettered, safe access to humanitarian aid.”“If that proves to be the case, tomorrow [Tuesday] in Brussels the Netherlands will also press for further European measures, for example in the realm of trade,” he added.Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, lashed out at the Dutch prime minister following his tweet, saying “it does not reflect the spirit and details of the call” between the two.“Nor does it reflect my crystal clear position that it will be a HUGE mistake if the EU takes such steps especially in light of Israel’s ongoing and upgraded humanitarian efforts. I am especially saddened that the plight of our hostages and the demand for their immediate release are not even mentioned,” Mr. Herzog added. Israel announced new efforts to boost humanitarian aid on Saturday, implementing tactical military pauses in southern, central, and northern Gaza, and establishing new, permanent safe routes for truck drivers to deliver aid. On Monday, 200 trucks with aid were picked up from border crossings by the UN and international organizations, marking a significant improvement from last week. Four tankers of UN fuel also entered Gaza, while 20 pallets of aid were airdropped in cooperation with the UAE and Jordan, according to Israel. Aid from Egypt also entered Gaza for the first time since Israel took control of the Rafah border crossing in May last year. But according to a U.K.-based newspaper, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, 73 of the 130 trucks from Egypt were looted near the Morag Axis, which separates Rafah from Khan Younis. Looting of trucks with aid has been a consistent problem throughout the war, with some of the food being sold on the market.

‘Terrorists Are Free and Jews Boycotted’: the Netherlands Bans Senior Israeli Ministers From Entering Country

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