Dutch PM "sees, hears" anti-Israel protesters; Dutch told to leave Israel via Egypt

Caretaker Prime Minister Dick Schoof said that the Dutch government “sees” and “hears” the around 150,000 people who protested in The Hague on Sunday against Israel’s continued violence in Gaza. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged Dutch people who want to leave Israel to cross the border into Egypt or Jordan and fly from there.

“We see you and we hear you,” Schoof said on X about the massive protest. “Our goal is ultimately the same: to put an end to the suffering in Gaza as quickly as possible.” Schoof called the suffering in Gaza “unprecedented and indigestible” and said that the government is “constantly looking at how we can be most effective with our efforts” to stop the violence and “end the humanitarian blockade.”

The Red Line protest was organized by aid organizations Oxfam Novib, PAX, Amnesty International, and Doctors Without Borders, among others. The estimated turnout was 50,000 people higher than the previous Red Line protest in The Hague in May.

“With a higher turnout than the first demonstration, this is a clear signal to the caretaker Schoof Cabinet to finally take action against Israel’s war crimes and not to protect Israel,” the organizers wrote. “The Netherlands continues to support Israel unconditionally despite violations of international law and over 54,000 deaths in Gaza.”

“Caretaker Prime Minister Schoof and his Cabinet still refuse to draw a red line. That is why we will do it, for as long as possible,” the organizers said. They invited Schoof to attend the protest, but he did not accept. The protesters called on the caretaker Schoof Cabinet and parliament to take concrete measures against Israel and “increase the pressure on the Israeli government as much as possible.”

Dutch people who want to leave Israel because of air strikes between the country and Iran should do so overland via Egypt or Jordan, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs told ANP. The Israeli airspace is closed, so flying out of the country is not an option.

The Dutch government changed the travel advice for Israel to red, meaning that Dutch people are strongly advised not to visit the country, and Dutch people already there must leave if it is safe to do so. The advice was escalated after Israel attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities and Iran retaliated.