Dutch Foreign Minister Steps Down Over Failed Israel Measures
(MENAFN) Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp has resigned following his failure to secure support from coalition partners for additional measures against Israel.
Reports indicate that Veldkamp, under growing pressure to act on the ongoing situation in Gaza City and the West Bank, acknowledged that while the Dutch government had already implemented significant actions, the situation required further intervention. However, with opposition from coalition parties VVD and BBB, who rejected any new measures, Veldkamp said he no longer had confidence in his ability to push forward his plans.
Veldkamp's resignation follows a previous pledge to Dutch lawmakers to introduce what he described as "necessary" actions against Israel — a proposal he had not coordinated with his governing allies.
"Line must be drawn," said Eddy van Hijum, leader of the NSC and Deputy Prime Minister, after the party withdrew all its ministers and state secretaries from the caretaker government. Van Hijum criticized Israel's actions in Gaza, emphasizing that they were in violation of international treaties, adding that the party could no longer credibly remain in power.
The resignation of NSC's ministers has left critical positions in key ministries, including Interior, Education, and Health, vacant, compounding uncertainty in the fragile caretaker government of Prime Minister Dick Schoof. VVD and BBB have criticized NSC’s departure, calling it “irresponsible.”
In a related development, the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees confirmed on Friday that the ongoing famine in Gaza was a direct result of Israeli actions, according to the UN-backed IPC global hunger monitoring system. Since October 2023, Israel's military operations have claimed the lives of nearly 62,300 Palestinians in Gaza, leaving the enclave in a state of devastation and famine.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges related to war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Additionally, Israel is facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its actions in the region.
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