Israeli foreign minister reprimands Netherlands over criticism, ban on ministers
FILE PHOTO: Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar looks on as he visits the monument to victims of the famine of 1932-33 (Holodomor) outside the Saint Michael's Cathedral, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine July 23, 2025. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko/File Photo
JERUSALEM - Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar delivered a formal reprimand to the ambassador of the Netherlands on Tuesday in response to Dutch criticism over the treatment of Palestinians and a travel ban against two members of the Israeli cabinet.
Saar said in a post on X that the Dutch government "chose to convert a long-standing friendship with Israel into open hostility towards it, precisely during its difficult time, probably out of political interests".
The Dutch government, operating in a caretaker capacity after the coalition collapsed in June, said in a letter late on Monday that it would summon Israel's ambassador to the Netherlands to denounce the "unbearable and indefensible" situation in Gaza.
It also imposed travel bans against two far-right Israeli cabinet ministers on accusations of repeated incitement against Palestinians. That follows similar moves last month against the two ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, by Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway. REUTERS
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