Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen on Monday criticized Israel’s decision to revoke the diplomatic accreditation of Dutch diplomats based in Ramallah following the Netherlands’ ban on goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
“I deeply regret this unnecessary decision,” Berendsen said, adding that the sanctions imposed by The Hague were “not directed against Israel.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced that diplomats representing the Netherlands to the Palestinian Authority have seven days to surrender their diplomatic papers. Their diplomatic privileges and immunities will expire after that period.
Israel’s action followed a Dutch ban that took effect on September 22 and prohibits the import, purchase and sale of products originating from Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Berendsen defended the measure as a requirement under international law rather than an action targeting Israel. He said the decision to halt the imports stemmed from “the obligation, under international law, not to contribute to an unlawful situation: the illegal settlements.”
Dutch authorities have begun enforcing the restrictions, with passengers arriving at Schiphol Airport reporting extensive checks of their luggage for goods originating from Israeli settlements.
The new rules carry potentially severe penalties. Deliberate violations of the ban on importing or purchasing goods from Israeli settlements can result in a maximum sentence of up to six years in prison.