Gov't advisor urges Netherlands to change attitude, policy on Israel-Palestine conflict
The Netherlands must change its attitude and policy towards the Israel-Paelstine conflict, the Advisory Council on International Affairs (AIV) said on Wednesday. The Dutch government must put more effort into achieving a cease-fire in Gaza and Lebanon, and work more effectively toward a two-state solution, including possibly recognizing a Palestinian state, the advisory body for the government and parliament on foreign policy said.
“The large-scale human suffering, the deteriorating situation on the West Bank, and the increasing polarisation in society have prompted the AIV to draw up this letter of advice for the Dutch government and parliament,” the council said.
According to the advisory council, the Netherlands and the international community as a whole have done too little to de-escalate the conflict between Israel and Palestine. That must change immediately.
The Netherlands is not a major player on the world stage, but our country must work more effectively with other European countries to prevent a larger regional war in the Middle East and stop the ongoing violence. This may require setting up coalitions within the EU where a consensus cannot be reached on this topic.
The council urged the Netherlands to actively promote a two-state solution, including the possible recognition of a Palestinian state. The AIV said that conditions for this must include the disarmament of Hamas, a newly elected and broadly supported Palestinian leadership, and the recognition of an Israeli state.
According to the AIV, the Middle East conflict also has far-reaching consequences in the Netherlands. There is an “alarming growth of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and polarization,” the council wrote. It urged the Dutch government to draw up an action plan to counteract these consequences in the short and long term.
