European criticism harming efforts to reach Gaza ceasefire, Sa’ar tells Dutch envoy

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar told Dutch Ambassador to Israel Marriet Schuurman that recent steps taken by the Netherlands and other European countries “harmed the chances of reaching a ceasefire in Gaza and a plan for the release of hostages, strengthened Hamas’s refusal, and are actually making a military escalation more likely,” his office says.

Sa’ar summoned Schuurman over a series of measures the kingdom has taken against Israel, including banning far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir from entering the country, and calling for Israel’s access to the EU’s flagship Horizon research funding program to be curbed.

Sa’ar told Schuurman that the Dutch policy toward Israel fuels antisemitism in the country, which was on display when Israelis were attacked on the streets of Amsterdam in November.

He added that Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Waldekamp is “well aware of the significant steps” Israel has taken on providing aid to Gaza, and “the choice to take actions against Israel after them shows the lack of any connection between the reality on the ground and the policy of the Dutch government,” according to his office.

The Netherlands’s efforts to change Israeli policy through pressure “is rejected outright and is doomed to fail,” says Sa’ar in the statement, promising a response.

He laments the fact that the Dutch government took a hostile turn against Israel for what he called “political interests,” in apparent reference to Muslims who have migrated to the Netherlands, impacting the country’s policies.

With apparent sarcasm, he “wished the Netherlands success in its future confrontation with radical Islamic elements that have established themselves in its territory,” his office says.

He adds that Israel “has many friends among the Dutch people,” and that Israel’s voice will be heard.