Dutch foreign minister quits over Israel sanctions clash

AFP :

Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp resigned on Friday after a cabinet meeting failed to agree to sanctions against Israel.

The centre-right New Social Contract Party, of which Veldkamp is a member, withdrew from the governing coalition after the resignation, adding to growing political chaos in the country.

Veldkamp had said on Thursday that he wanted new measures against Israel over its iron-fisted tactics in the Gaza war against Hamas.
Last month the Netherlands declared far-right Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich persona non grata.

It was also among 21 countries that signed a joint declaration on Thursday condemning Israel’s approval of a major West Bank settlement project as “unacceptable and contrary to international law”.

But after the cabinet became deadlocked Friday over possible new measures to increase pressure on Israel, Veldkamp told ANP he was “insufficiently able to take meaningful additional measures”.
“I feel constrained in setting the course I consider necessary as foreign minister,” he added.

Veldkamp said the further steps he had proposed against Israel were “seriously discussed” but that he had encountered resistance in successive cabinet meetings.

The government has been under pressure from protests against Israel’s military campaign since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel unleased the war.