Israel responded to Netherlands sanctions with diplomatic measure
Israel announced that it will revoke the diplomatic status granted to the staff of the Netherlands' representative office in Ramallah. This decision was made in response to the Netherlands' ban on the import of products manufactured in Israeli settlements in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights.
Israel returned a diplomatic response to the Netherlands' sanctions
According to a Reuters report on September 27, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has revoked the status of Dutch diplomats accredited by the country's authorities. Their diplomatic status will lose its validity after seven days.
Commenting on the decision on the X social network, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said that the Netherlands could continue to represent its interests in relations with the Palestinians, but should not do so from Israeli territory.
"If the Netherlands wants to continue representing its interests to the Palestinians, it can do so from the territory of the Palestinian Authority, not from the territory of the State of Israel," Saar wrote.
The ban also applies to personal luggage and souvenirs
According to the report, starting from September 22, the Netherlands, as well as the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Denmark, and several other countries, introduced sanctions against Israeli settlements in the West Bank, the Golan Heights, and East Jerusalem.
The import ban applies to all products imported from these settlements, including items in travelers' personal luggage and souvenirs.
According to the explanation of the Dutch customs authorities, the origin of the goods is determined by where they were purchased or produced. Therefore, the restriction does not apply to all products imported from Israel, but specifically to goods purchased or produced in these settlements.
Passengers interviewed by The Times of Israel said that baggage checks at Amsterdam airport are being conducted even more thoroughly than before.
Israel established control over the West Bank of the Jordan River, which had previously been annexed by Jordan, during the Six-Day War in 1967.
In the following decades, Israel established dozens of settlements in this territory. According to the report, about 500,000 Jews live in them. The number of Palestinians in the West Bank is approximately 3 million people.