‘The Netherlands should not be so scared of Israel’

Jozias van Aartsen stops for a moment. Whether he is sometimes awake from Gaza, wants NRC Know during a conversation in the sunny inner garden of a Café Hague. Then he says: « Of this misery, yes. I think it’s really terrible what happens there. You feel powerless. »

Just before that, the 77-year-old former Foreign Minister, former VVD leader and mayor of The Hague took a letter from the indoor pocket of his cream-colored jacket and put it on the table. It is an open letter that last month Fidelity was published. In it, the VVD member with former ministers Jan Pronk (PvdA), Laurens Jan Brinkhorst (D66) and Bernard Bot (CDA) and former ambassadors and diplomats calls the Cabinet Sheaf on Israel to « stop the Genocidal War ». « After the unilateral ending of the truce, Israel has abandoned all seeming to be a civilized country, » wrote the former ministers.

Since the Hamas attack of 7 October 2023, Israel has killed more than 51,000 Palestinians in Gaza. The Dutch cabinet continued to rely on Israel’s ‘right to self -defense’ for a long time. Now that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is constantly deteriorating, the dissatisfaction in Dutch society is growing about that position, according to opinion research. This week, Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp (NSC) set a amendment change In: In a letter to the European Commission, he shouted to investigate whether Israel still meets the conditions of the Association Convention with the EU due to human rights violations in Gaza.

Van Aartsen is « happy » that Veldkamp « has come into action anyway. » « This goes beyond we have heard so far. I am curious if he will continue this line, because this is completely the wrong way. And Schoof continues to respond. »

The fact that VVD’er van Aartsen expresses himself so clearly is special-in the VVD chamber fraction criticism of Israel was rare so far. And rather Van Aartsen himself also refused to sign a joint explanation about Gaza, because the Hamas attacks were not convicted. « I thought that had to be said where the origin of this problem was, and that is on October 7. As long as it wasn’t in it, I didn’t participate. »

Why did you sign now?

“The violence against Gazans is now so disproportionate. So Beyond The obligations that Israel has in relation to humanitarian law and human rights. My call is: please keep it on Israel, because you harm your own position. ”

Minister Veldkamp (Foreign Affairs, NSC) has long maintained that it is better to address Israel behind the scenes.

« I have the idea that Veldkamp is experiencing the same as what happened to me in my time as a Foreign Minister (1998 – 2002).

« As a minister, my Israeli colleagues responded when I said that the violence against the Palestinians should stop. But that did not happen. We had all kinds of consultations, but we were not shot. »

The Netherlands had already tightened the control of arms export to Israel.

« Yes, but not completely stopped. Stopping the delivery of F-35 parts (the state went in cassation against an export ban from the Hague Court of Appeal) would be a direct act of which Israel may think: » Damn, we need those parts. « 

This coalition should never have arisen. Now we see the consequences of that choice on this theme

Wilders reacted furiously at Veldkamp’s letter to the EU. Can a coalition with the PVV bite through when it comes to Israel?

« This coalition should never have arisen. I said that clearly a year and a half ago. The composition of this coalition (PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB) is a choice. Now we see the consequences of that choice on this theme. Veldkamp is also in it. »

Do sanctions have no adverse consequences for the Netherlands, such as a deteriorated relationship with the US?

« The Netherlands is a loyal ally, so that will be better than expected. We should not be so afraid to make our feelings clear to Israel. Undoubtedly it has to do with the pressure that Wilders puts on the cabinet, but I really can’t understand why we don’t do that. »

VVD party chairman Dilan Yesilgöz is also not about the fate of Gazanen.

« That is very disappointing. Let me put it this way: the party leader knows how I think about it. I don’t know what the considerations are, but it is clear that the VVD room group has a great distance to those who say that what is happening in Gaza cannot and that we should do more.

« I am curious what her (Yesilgöz) reaction is to the position of the CDA (the cabinet must speak more clearly against Israel, wrote the CDA in Trouw). For the VVD it is wise to be closer to CDA and GroenLinks-Pvda. I have the idea that they have been looking for more support with the Middenparten on this theme in recent times. »

Is Gaza worth a cabinet breach?

« That is a very important question of conscience. It also depends on how the discussion in society continues. Now that the CDA is also taking a very clear position, that can certainly lead to political problems.

« I see it shifting. It is necessary to have the political in the middle of each other again. »

Have you already called Yesilgöz about this?

« No, I only do that in very rare cases. I am not so concerned by old VVD types. »

The VVD is in a coalition that you do not like and takes a position on Israel that you do not like. Are you a VVD member?

« Yes, there is not a single party that I would like to be a member at the moment. I have always moved to the VRVD VVD. There are more. I do have the idea that there are more people within the VVD who think (about Israel). »

To share

Mail the editors