Netherlands calls for urgent review of EU-Israel trade deal

The Dutch government, perceived as one of Israel’s most ardent supporters in the European Union has requested an urgent review of the EU Israel association agreement – which underpins the EU-Israel free trade deal.

Dutch foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp has urged the European Union foreign service Kaja Kallas to review the deal via a written letter, arguing that Israel is currently violating the obligations of the trade agreement, the Guardian reported on May 7th.

Veldkamp labelled Israel’s blockade on the entry of aid into Gaza as “catastrophic, truly dismal” and a blatant breach of international humanitarian law.

According to Velkamp, an ex-Dutch ambassador to Israel, the issue is anticipated to be a point of discussion at a two-day EU foreign ministers meeting in Poland.

The Dutch government has previously initiated actions to obstruct dialogue over the association agreement’s freeze, a lever most consistently endorsed by Ireland and Spain.

The EU is Israel’s biggest trade partner. Veldkamp said that the Dutch government would vote against any continuation of the EU-Israel action plan, the terms of the association agreement which was enforced in 2000.

Veldkamp said the decision was based on the belief that: “You cannot starve the people of the Gaza Strip. It is against international law. It’s morally wrong. It’s dangerous. I don’t think it’s in Israel’s own interest.”

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Ensuring relations honour human rights and democratic values is stipulated under Article two of the EU-Israel association agreement.

In the letter to the European Union foreign service, Veldkamp said Israel’s planned arrangement of distributing aid seemed incongruous with the “principals of neutrality, impartiality and independence.”

Veldkamp, told the Guardian in London after a meeting with UK foreign secretary David Lammy, that the Netherlands were “very concerned about the current conduct of the war, especially since the ceasefire’s end on 18th of March and the blockade of humanitarian aid.”

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He also contested Netanyahu’s primary concerns, arguing a ceasefire was the best way to get hostages returned.

“The criticism in Israel is increasing against [the] prime minister that he does not give enough priority to the release of the hostages, and he has now stated also that he doesn’t give that ultimate priority, but he gives the priority to fighting Hamas,” he said.

The Dutch government feels an additional sense of responsibility to honour International Court of Justice rulings, with the ICJ being located in the Hague.

NGOs have repeatedly pushed the EU to have a stronger stand, but there was no attempt to suspend the deal in its meeting with Israel back in February.

“I don’t have any illusions that Hamas will ever apply international humanitarian law, but from a democracy such as Israel, democracies fight differently, and Israel has to abide by international humanitarian law, and with the latest statements by Israeli ministers, such as minister Smotrich that he aims for a total destruction of the Gaza strip, we cannot ignore any longer such statements.”

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“I say this as someone that feels close to Israel, and as a former ambassador, this is not a sustainable policy by Israel, and it is time to work for peace”.

His comments, and the possible effects on the European Union come in the lead up to the US President travelling to the Middle East for his first significant international trips since he started in the Oval Office. There has been no criticism of Netanyahu’s approach under the current US President.

The Guardian