Israeli foreign minister reprimands Netherlands over criticism, ban on ministers
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Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said that the Dutch government “chose to convert a long-standing friendship with Israel into open hostility towards it, precisely during its difficult time, probably out of political interests”.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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JERUSALEM - Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar delivered a formal reprimand to the ambassador of the Netherlands on July 29 in response to Dutch criticism over the treatment of Palestinians and a travel ban against two members of the Israeli Cabinet.
Mr Saar said in a post on X that the Dutch government “chose to convert a long-standing friendship with Israel into open hostility towards it, precisely during its difficult time, probably out of political interests”.
The Dutch government, operating in a caretaker capacity after the coalition collapsed in June, said in a letter late on July 28 that it would summon Israel’s ambassador to the Netherlands to denounce the “unbearable and indefensible” situation in Gaza.
It also imposed travel bans against two far-right Israeli cabinet ministers on accusations of repeated incitement against Palestinians.
That follows similar moves in June against the two ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, by Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway. REUTERS
