Sunday, November 8, saw no fewer than 200,000 people decked in red take to the streets of Amsterdam and march in solidarity with Palestine.
This marks the fourth Red Line for Palestine march organised in the Netherlands, with the second-largest turnout seen so far (in October 2025, this number reached 250,000).
The goals of the march were clear: call for a stop to all direct and indirect arms trade with Israel, expand the national trade ban on illegal Israeli settlements, and exert more political, economic, and diplomatic pressure to end the illegal occupation of Palestine.
The protest proceeded peacefully. However, protestors also had plenty of other messages to share.
A feeling of disappointment towards Jetten
While previous marches called for a ceasefire in Palestine, this march called for different economic measures, Amnesty spokesperson, Julia van den Muijsenberg explains to NRC.
“There is now a ceasefire on paper. Only the genocide continues,” she says. Protestors wanted to make it clear that, as the lettering on the stage said, there is “no money for genocide.”
Many signs mentioned current prime minister, Rob Jetten. The message? The Jetten cabinet should be doing more against Israel.
While the prime minister has indeed turned up to previous protests, many feel his cabinet isn’t being decisive enough in its stance against Israel. One protester tells NRC:
“I understand the political reality, but I do find Rob Jetten a bit weak. Spain and Ireland are really cutting ties. And what do we do? The Eurovision Song Contest and we boycott a few ministers.”
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At the moment, the cabinet has imposed an import ban on products from illegal Israeli settlements, but many call for this to be expanded.
“The trade ban must be extended to services,” Van den Muijsenberg says. “The Dutch government buys a great many weapons. And that financial influence as a major trading partner comes with great responsibility.”
One service that continues, for example, is Booking.com. It’s currently possible for people to rent accommodation in occupied territories through the Dutch company. “In doing so, it legitimises the occupation,” she says.
A mention of the company’s name on stage was met with many boos from protestors.
And anger towards the VVD
There was a similar feeling towards the VVD, with many signs targeting the party. Why? The party believes a general trade boycott against Israel is too drastic a measure, as well as recognising Palestine as a state.
Even some of the party’s own members don’t agree with the VVD’s stance, with former Minister of Foreign Affairs Jozias van Aartsen telling De Volkskrant that “They are standing by and watching.”
One thing was for certain yesterday: some 200,000 people certainly weren’t willing to do the same.
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