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Israel Orders Dutch Diplomats in Ramallah to Return Credentials in Retaliation for Settlements Trade Ban

Ailin Vilches Arguello

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March 29, 2025, Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands: A pro-Palestinian demonstrator burns a hand-fashioned Israeli flag. Photo: James Petermeier/ZUMA Press Wire via Reuters Connect

Israel has given Dutch diplomats operating in Ramallah seven days to return their Israeli-issued diplomatic credentials, in retaliation for the Netherlands’ newly imposed ban on goods from Israeli communities in the West Bank that took effect last week.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced Sunday that the diplomatic privileges and immunities extended to the Dutch diplomats will be revoked if they fail to return their credentials in the given time period.

“If the Netherlands wishes to continue representing its interests with the Palestinians, it may do so from Palestinian Authority territory, rather than from the territory of the State of Israel,” the top Israeli diplomat wrote in a post on X.

“Israel will not ignore measures intended to harm it,” Saar continued, warning that countries that treat the Jewish state “in a hostile and unilateral manner” would ultimately undermine their own influence in the region.

The Israeli government announced additional measures against the Netherlands earlier this year, removing the Dutch delegation from the US-led Gaza coordination mission in Israel over what Jerusalem described as a series of “anti-Israel measures.”

Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen on Monday described Israel’s decision as “unnecessary,” while insisting that the new law was “not directed against Israel.” The Dutch government is also expected to summon Israel’s ambassador in the Netherlands in the coming days to protest Israel’s decision to revoke the diplomatic status of the diplomats at the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority, although no such step has been taken yet.

The Dutch sanctions, which took effect on Sept. 22, are among the most far-reaching measures yet restricting trade with Israeli communities in the West Bank, as international efforts to boycott the Jewish state continue to grow.

The law is broader than similar measures adopted elsewhere, banning goods not only from Israeli settlements beyond the Green Line but also from the Golan Heights bordering Syria to the north.

The measure prohibits imports from these areas as well as the sale and purchase of such goods in the Netherlands, including products containing ingredients or components sourced from the West Bank or the Golan Heights, to prevent companies from bypassing the restrictions by using other European markets.

Even further, the law applies to Dutch citizens abroad, meaning a person could face prosecution after knowingly purchasing goods from these areas while outside the country, with violations carrying a maximum penalty of up to six years in prison.

According to the UN trade database Comtrade, the Netherlands is among Israel’s largest export destinations, receiving roughly 5 percent of the country’s total exports, making the new restrictions particularly significant for Israeli businesses trading with the European market.

The newly implemented law has already survived domestic legal challenges, including a case brought by the Christian-run Israel Product Center that was rejected after a Hague court ruled the organization lacked standing to contest the restrictions.

Following the rollout of sweeping Dutch restrictions on Israeli goods, passengers arriving from Israel at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport have reported unusually thorough customs inspections, fueling concerns over heightened scrutiny of luggage and Israeli products entering the Netherlands.

The Israeli Embassy in The Hague has cautioned Israelis traveling to the country to expect potentially “lengthy and invasive” luggage inspections, adding that it is closely monitoring the situation and will provide further updates as it develops.

Besides the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, and Spain are the only European countries so far to have advanced comprehensive legislation aimed at banning trade with Israeli communities in the West Bank.

The United Kingdom was the latest country to ban trade with Israeli settlements, with Canada, France, and other European countries backing similar measures as part of the growing boycott campaign against the Jewish state.

Expected to take effect within six to nine months, London’s new policy measures will ban imports of goods from Israeli communities in the West Bank and impose sanctions on companies and individuals that “facilitate settlement expansion,” including those providing construction, infrastructure, financing, or real estate services for such development.

The British government will also deny licenses for arms and other exports deemed to materially support what British officials called Israel’s “occupation,” ban advertising for settlements in the UK, and sanction a group of “extremist settlers” accused of supporting or inciting violence against Palestinians.

The Israeli government sharply denounced Britain’s latest measures, announcing the closure of the British consulate in Jerusalem and warning other countries against taking similar action against Israel.

Saar also unveiled further retaliatory measures, including barring Britain from the US-led Gaza coordination mission in Israel, ending British training for Palestinian Authority forces in the West Bank, and banning 12 elected officials and British citizens involved in anti-Israel or antisemitic activities from entering the country.

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