Amsterdam, July 30 (UNI) The lower house of the Dutch parliament has decided to cut short its summer recess to hold an urgent debate on the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, media reported.
A majority of lawmakers in the Dutch House of Representatives (the Tweede Kamer) backed a motion from the Socialist Party (SP) for an urgent session, the Dutch NOS broadcaster reported yesterday.
“Given the urgent situation in Gaza, this cannot wait until after the recess,” SP parliament member Sandra Dobbe said, as quoted by The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.
The exact date of the urgent debate has not been set yet, but it is reportedly expected next week.
Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said that he had summoned the Israeli ambassador and called on the Israeli authorities to change their course and put an end to the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar expressed regret to Dutch Ambassador to Israel Marriet Schuurman over the “open hostility” shown by the EU nation over Gaza, warning her that such actions would not go unanswered.
This decision of convening Parliament to hold a debate on Gaza comes after the Dutch government expelled two high-ranking Israeli officials over the current state of affairs in Gaza and allegations of meddling by Israel in attempts to influence society in the Netherlands.
The Dutch government banned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering the country. Veldkamp said that the decision was made because they “have repeatedly incited settlers to violence against Palestinians, advocated for the expansion of illegal settlements and called for ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip.” In response, the Israeli Foreign Ministry summoned the Dutch ambassador.
