Following Amsterdam, several other Dutch municipalities are formally recognising the Gaza crisis as a genocide and are urging the cabinet to condemn Israel’s campaign of destruction and mass killing.
Although municipalities typically do not intervene in international politics, growing pressure from residents has pushed local governments to acknowledge the severity of the situation and make their voices heard. 📢
Yes, it’s a genocide
Amsterdam’s mayor, Femke Halsema, has been among the outspoken voices, calling the cabinet out to put pressure on Israel. But Amsterdam is not alone in the fight, either.
READ MORE | As KLM resumes its Israel route, Amsterdam’s mayor isn’t on board with violence in Gaza
According to the NOS, various other Dutch municipalities — including The Hague, Groningen, Tilburg, Apeldoorn, Arnhem, Amersfoort, Leiden, and Utrecht — have also passed motions to name the violence in Gaza a genocide.
While this is long overdue, it’s a decision that reflects what many have been saying for months. In a recent NRC report, seven respected scientists have unanimously concluded that Israel is, indeed, committing genocide in Gaza. 👇
Incredibly powerful investigation in Dutch newspaper NRC: Seven of the world’s leading genocide scholars — including renowned Holocaust experts — describe Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocidal.
And according to them, nearly all of their peers agree. pic.twitter.com/g8o35NZgOU— Rutger Bregman (@rcbregman) May 15, 2025
All municipalities mentioned above have now committed to using the term genocide when addressing Gaza during official communication.
Meanwhile, other cities have taken a different approach.
Rotterdam is still on the fence and is planning further discussions. Almere, Zaanstad, Den Bosch, and Eindhoven have declined to comment so far. Haarlemmermeer and Zwolle do not support this call.
However, in moments like this, silence does not stand neutral. 🙄
No more looking the other way
Residents and civil society groups have been calling out the crisis in Gaza for well over a year. Yet, it seems it took tens of thousands of deaths before many local officials were willing to shift their language from “conflict” to “genocide”.
As Lucas Bolsius, mayor of Amersfoort, explained, “When an event has a major impact on Amersfoort society and how we as Amersfoorters live together, that is different”.
Meanwhile, Apeldoorn’s mayor, Ton Heerts, urged the Dutch cabinet to take a clear position: “The Netherlands must commit itself to real de-escalation and humanitarian support.”
Will this do anything?
Pushing the national government through local channels is the first step.
Local representation matters, and when municipalities voice what residents are feeling, it can help build momentum for broader political action.
READ MORE | Here’s why thousands protested in Amsterdam over the weekend
As professor of decentralised government, Geerten Boogaard notes, “if this feeling lives among the local population, then it is also the task of the municipal council to convey that.”
However, others remain cautious.
Pieter Jeroense of VNG International (the association of Dutch municipalities) warns that while municipalities can express opinions, national governments will likely resist direct interference with international policy. “In that case, too much interference with foreign policy is not appreciated,” he explains.
In parallel with these political developments, Amnesty International is organising a demonstration on Sunday, May 18, in The Hague. The protest, titled “De Rode Lijn”, aims to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and call for an immediate end to the genocide.
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