On Saturday, 7 October, Hamas militants in Gaza launched a large-scale surprise attack targeting Israel. On Sunday, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally declared war.
Since then, over a thousand people have died: more than 700 Israelis and more than 400 Palestinians. Hundreds more people, including civilians and Israeli soldiers, have been captured by Hamas and are currently being held hostage.
Following the situation that transpired in Israeli and Palestinian territories over the weekend, outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has issued a statement. He believes that “Israel has every right to defend itself”.
Mark Rutte affirms Dutch support for Israel
In a Dutch Tweet on X (formerly Twitter), Mark Rutte issued a statement on behalf of the Netherlands. He writes that the Netherlands “supports Israel in calling for an immediate end to violence by terrorist organisation Hamas”.
The government is also “extra alert” about the safety of the Jewish community in the Netherlands.
Just spoke with Prime Minister @netanyahu about the unprecedented attack by Hamas on Israel. I told him that the Netherlands unequivocally condemns this terrorist violence and fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself.
— Mark Rutte (@MinPres) October 7, 2023
No evacuation of Dutch citizens in Israeli or Palestinian territory
The Netherlands has not yet announced any plans to evacuate its citizens who are currently in Israeli or Palestinian territory. “The choice to stay or leave is your own responsibility. The Dutch government cannot help you leave”, writes Netherlandsworldwide.nl.
The Dutch government advises “Dutch citizens in Israel to stay at home and, upon hearing the air raid siren, [to] immediately seek shelter in a bomb shelter or another secure location, and to follow the instructions of local authorities.”
While the government is closely monitoring the situation and “taking various scenarios into account”, it calls on all Dutch citizens present in Israel and the Palestinian territories to register with the Foreign Affairs Information Service.
Are you currently in Israel? You can reach the Dutch Embassy in Tel Aviv at +972 37 54 07 77. If you’re calling from the Netherlands, dial +31 247 247 247 to reach the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Please note: there may be significant waiting times.
While Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv is open, many airlines, including Transavia, KLM, and EasyJet, have cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv on Monday.
Reactions to the situation differ by municipality
While there are no official flag instructions, the city hall in Amsterdam will fly the Israeli flag on Monday. This was decided by Mayor Femke Halsema “in line with the cabinet’s decision”, writes AD.
The Dutch Ministry of General Affairs, located at the Binnenhof, was ordered to raise the Israeli flag by Mark Rutte on Monday morning as well.
Rotterdam will not be flying any flag, while The Hague and Utrecht have opted to fly their own flags half-mast in support of the civilian victims.
In Rotterdam, several hundred people took part in a demonstration in support of Palestinians on Sunday afternoon, according to AD.
Rotterdam op de Coolsingle 0810023 / Today in Rotterdam(coolsingle-Netherlands) pic.twitter.com/rXBiaLwvWG
— john l (@Maeestro) October 8, 2023
The Dutch government plans to keep a close eye on the situation as it develops in Israel and Palestine.
Travel advice for Israel has been set to orange, while the border areas near Gaza, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt are red.
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs can be reached by phone day and night at +31 247 247 247. You can also ask questions via WhatsApp at +316 82 38 77 96.
Answers to frequently asked questions about the ongoing situation may be found here.
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