'The Netherlands should not be so afraid of Israel'

Jozias van Aartsen falls silent for a moment. During a conversation in the sunny courtyard of a café in The Hague, NRC wants to know whether Gaza keeps him awake at night. Then he says: "This misery, yes. I think it's really terrible what's happening there. You feel powerless."

Shortly before that, the 77-year-old former Minister of Foreign Affairs, former VVD leader and mayor of The Hague had taken a letter from the inside pocket of his cream-coloured jacket and laid it unfolded on the table. It concerns an open letter that was published in Trouw last month. In it, the VVD member, together with former ministers Jan Pronk (PvdA), Laurens Jan Brinkhorst (D66) and Bernard Bot (CDA) and former ambassadors and diplomats, calls on the Schoof cabinet to defy Israel in order to "stop the genocidal war". "After unilaterally ending the ceasefire, Israel has abandoned all pretence of being a civilised country", the former ministers wrote.

Since the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, Israel has killed more than 51,000 Palestinians in Gaza. The Dutch government has long continued to invoke Israel's 'right to self-defense'. As the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, dissatisfaction with that position is growing in Dutch society, according to opinion polls. This week, Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp (NSC) initiated a change of course : in a letter to the European Commission, he called for an investigation into whether Israel still meets the conditions of the Association Agreement with the EU due to the human rights violations in Gaza.

Van Aartsen is "happy" that Veldkamp "has taken action after all." "This goes further than we have heard so far. I wonder if he will continue this line, because this is going completely in the wrong direction. And Schoof continues to react poorly."

That VVD member Van Aartsen speaks out so clearly is remarkable – criticism of Israel has been rare in the VVD parliamentary group up until now. And Van Aartsen himself previously refused to sign a joint statement on Gaza, because the Hamas attacks were not condemned in it. "I felt that it had to be said where the origin of this problem lay, and that was on October 7. As long as that was not included, I would not participate."

Why did you sign now?

"The violence against Gazans is now so disproportionate. So are Israel's obligations to humanitarian law and human rights. My appeal is: please stop this Israel, because you are damaging your own position."

Minister Veldkamp (Foreign Affairs, NSC) has long maintained that it is better to address Israel behind the scenes.

“I have the feeling that Veldkamp is experiencing the same thing that happened to me during my time as Minister of Foreign Affairs [1998 - 2002].

"As a minister, my Israeli colleagues did respond when I said that the violence against the Palestinians had to stop. But that did not happen. We had all kinds of consultations, but we did not make any progress."

The Netherlands had already tightened controls on arms exports to Israel.

“Yes, but not completely stopped. Stopping the supply of F-35 parts itself [the State has appealed against an export ban by the Hague Court of Appeal] would be a direct act that Israel might think: 'damn it, we need those parts anyway'.”

This coalition should never have been formed. Now we see the consequences of that choice on this theme

Wilders reacted angrily to Veldkamp's letter to the EU. Can a coalition with the PVV persevere when it comes to Israel?

"This coalition should never have been formed. I said that clearly a year and a half ago. The composition of this coalition [PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB] is a choice. Now we see the consequences of that choice on this theme. Veldkamp will also remain in it."

Do sanctions not have adverse consequences for the Netherlands, such as a deterioration in relations with the US?

"The Netherlands is a loyal ally, so that will be very easy. We should not be so afraid to make our feelings for Israel clear. It undoubtedly has to do with the pressure that Wilders is putting on the cabinet, but otherwise I really cannot understand why we do not do that."

You also don't hear VVD faction leader Dilan Yesilgöz talking about the fate of Gazans.

"That is very disappointing. Let me put it this way: the party leader knows what I think about it. I do not know what the considerations are, but it is clear that the VVD parliamentary party is very far removed from those who say that what is happening in Gaza is unacceptable and that we should do more.

"I'm curious what her [Yesilgöz] reaction is to the CDA's position [the cabinet must speak out more clearly against Israel, the CDA wrote in Trouw]. It would be wise for the VVD to move closer to the CDA and GroenLinks-PvdA. I have the idea that they have been seeking more contact with the centrist parties on this issue lately, just like with the joint support for Ukraine."

Is Gaza Worth a Cabinet Breakup?

"That is a very important question of conscience. It also depends on how the discussion in society continues. Now that the CDA also takes a very clear position, that will certainly lead to political problems.

“I see it shifting. It is necessary to let the political center find each other again.”

Have you called Yesilgöz about this yet?

"No, I only do that in very rare cases. I'm not really into interference from old VVD types."

The VVD is in a coalition that you don't like and takes a position on Israel that you don't like. Will you remain a VVD member?

"Yes, there is no other party I would want to be a member of at the moment. I have always moved on the liberal-democratic side of the VVD. There are more like that. I do have the idea that there are more people within the VVD who think like me [about Israel]."