Dutch and Swedish ministers send letter to EU foreign chief calling for Israel sanctions

The Netherlands and Sweden sent another letter to the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy for the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, in which they ask to increase the pressure on Israel. They are calling, among other things, for the rapid adoption of proposals that would allow targeted sanctions against extremist Israeli ministers and for the suspension of the trade section of the cooperation agreement between the EU and Israel.

The letter was sent on Wednesday and was signed by the Dutch and Swedish Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Ruben Brekelmans and Maria Malmer Stenergard. The EU ministers of foreign affairs will meet in Copenhagen on Saturday. Denmark is currently the chair of the EU.

In addition to the measures mentioned above, the two ministers are calling for further steps against violent Israeli settlers. They also reiterate their support for the proposal to partially suspend Israel’s participation in the Horizon Europe program. The letter makes no mention of a boycott of products from settlements. Furthermore, the countries call for sanctions against Hamas' political leaders.

The fact that Israel is violating the conditions of the Association Agreement and failing to uphold an agreement with the EU to allow more aid into Gaza is the reason the ministers wrote the letter.

It is the second letter sent from both countries to Kallas in a short period of time. The recently resigned minister of foreign affairs, Caspar Veldkamp, also sent a letter to Kallas in which he, among other things, called for the temporary suspension of the trade section of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

Brekelmans and Stenergard wrote that the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains untenable and that Israel’s decision to attack Gaza City further underscores the need for increased action. They criticized Israel’s decision to build a new settlement near Jerusalem, which they consider unacceptable.

The EU member states are divided about the subject, although the number of countries that wish to take action against Israel is growing. But it is hard to estimate whether there is enough support for this, insiders say. If they do reach an agreement, a decision will be made at the next meeting, since the gathering in the Danish capital is informal.

In Copenhagen, Brekelmans will also advocate for a ban on imports from illegal Israeli settlements. If there is no support for this, the outgoing Cabinet is considering taking that step nationally, together with other countries.

This comes just a day after caretaker Prime Minister Dick Schoof said that he does not want to take new measures to pressure Israel or address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. He also advised parliament to vote against all motions of this kind.

For example, Schoof did not support a proposal from Esther Ouwehand of the Partij voor de Dieren and Jimmy Dijk of SP to bring children from Gaza with the most urgent medical needs to Dutch hospitals for treatment. Left-wing opposition parties and aid organizations say medical evacuations are necessary, but Schoof opposed the idea. He later promised to revisit the matter.

D66 and NSC submitted a motion calling for actual national action if the EU fails to reach a consensus. Schoof did not support that motion either.

The debate on Wednesday was mainly about the political chaos that had occurred after the NSC left the Cabinet on Friday. The remaining coalition parties, VVD and BBB, have a total of 32 seats in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament.

GroenLinks-PvdA leader Frans Timmermans said at the start of the debate that his party will only support foreign policies if the Cabinet takes steps to increase the pressure on Israel.

“No progress at all,” Timmermans concluded at the end of the debate. “Given the feelings in Dutch society, I find that deeply disappointing. It casts a shadow over cooperation with this Cabinet.”