Israelis fleeing to Netherlands; Palestinian flag projected on Utrecht's Dom tower
As the war in Israel and the Gaza Strip continues, hundreds of Israelis are fleeing to the Netherlands, according to De Telegraaf. The Palestinian flag was briefly projected onto the Dom Tower in Utrecht on Monday evening. The municipality, which owns the Dom, did not give permission for the action, a spokesperson told RTV Utrecht.
Hundreds of Israelis are fleeing to the Netherlands because of the war, the owner of the largest firm that arranges migration procedures for Israeli citizens confirmed to De Telegraaf. On online forums and closed Facebook groups, hundreds of people in Israel are looking for tips and help in coming to the Netherlands.
Requests for support are pouring in at Eisenmann & Ravestijn Advocaten in Amsterdam, a law firm with a large client base from Israel. “The number of applications has been enormous for the past ten days,” Ronnie Eisenmann told the newspaper. “There is a lot of fear. People are terribly confused; they come here in shock. We are also in shock.”
The requests they’re receiving are only the tip of the iceberg, according to the firm. Many people flee without seeking professional help. People with Israeli passports can come to the Netherlands visa-free for 90 days.
Palestinian flag on Dom Tower
Justice Now!, part of Extinction Rebellion, projected the Palestinian flag on the Dom tower - the most iconic building in Utrecht. They wanted to show solidarity with the Palestinian people and respond to the raising of the Israeli flag on national government buildings and in various cities. “It is a response to the banning of pro-Palestinian demonstrations and the display of the Palestinian flag in, for example, France and Germany. The flag symbolizes the Palestinian people's right to freedom, self-defense, and self-determination,” Justice Now! told RTV Utrecht.
The activists stressed that they denounced the human rights violations and violence by both the Israeli regime and the Hamas militant movement. They also worry about the Palestinian people. “Palestinians have been living under an apartheid regime for decades and regularly face gross war crimes. The upcoming invasion of Gaza is just the latest example of this. Putting a stop to this is the only way to stop the violence.”
Justice Now! called on the Dutch government to commit to de-escalation and peace. They also want the government to respond to Spanish Minister Ione Belarra’s call to have Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tried for war crimes at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
