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Arab News
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Tens of thousands rally in Dutch protest for Gaza
THE HAGUE: Tens of thousands of people dressed in red marched through the streets of The Hague on Sunday to demand more action from the Dutch government against what they termed a 'genocide' in Gaza. Rights groups such as Amnesty International and Oxfam organized the demonstration to the International Court of Justice through the city, creating a so-called 'red line.' With many waving Palestinian flags and some chanting 'Stop the Genocide,' the demonstrators turned a central park in the city into a sea of red on a sunny afternoon. One of the organizing groups, Oxfam Novib, estimated that 150,000 people participated in the march. Dutch police generally do not give estimates of demonstration turnouts. Protesters brandished banners reading 'Don't look away, do something,' 'Stop Dutch complicity,' and 'Be silent when kids sleep, not when they die.' Organizers urged the Dutch government — which collapsed on June 3 after a far-right party pulled out of a fragile coalition — to do more to rein in Israel for its military offensive on the Palestinian territory. 'More than 150,000 people here dressed in red — and a clear majority of the Dutch population — just want concrete sanctions to stop the genocide in Gaza,' said Michiel Servaes, director of Oxfam Novib. 'We demand action now from our government,' added Servaes. Dodo Van Der Sluis, a 67-year-old pensioner, said: 'It has to stop. Enough is enough. I can't take it anymore.' 'I'm here because I think it's maybe the only thing you can do now as a Dutch citizen, but it's something you have to do,' she added. A previous protest in The Hague on May 18 drew more than 100,000 people, according to organizers, who described it as the country's largest demonstration in 20 years. Prime Minister Dick Schoof wrote on X, formerly Twitter: 'To all those people in The Hague I say: we see you and we hear you.' 'In the end, our goal is the same: to end the suffering in Gaza as soon as possible.' The Gaza war was sparked by the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. The Health Ministry in Gaza says Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 55,207 people, the majority of them civilians. The International Court of Justice is currently weighing a case brought by South Africa against Israel, arguing its actions in Gaza breach the 1948 UN Genocide Convention. Thousands of demonstrators protested across France on Saturday in support of Palestinians and calling for peace in Gaza. Protesters criticized France's stance on the conflict, branding it conciliatory or even 'complicit' with the Israeli government. French trade unions, left-wing parties and pro-Palestinian activist groups called for a global weekend of protests against Israel's offensive in the territory. In Paris, where the largest march took place, police counted 9,000 demonstrators, while the CGT trade union and hard-left party France Unbowed said 150,000 attended the gathering. Thousands of people also rallied in the cities of Marseille, Toulouse and Rennes. European Parliament member Rima Hassan called on supporters to 'deviate, disobey and take all necessary actions to enforce international law, to put an end to genocide.' She recently spent three days in a detention centre in Israel after attempting to breach its blockade of Gaza on a boat with other activists. 'We don't want what is happening in Gaza to be silenced. Every day we hear that 30, 60 people have died. It has become routine, we don't see it anymore and I'm afraid that with what's happening with Iran, it will become even more invisible,' said one protester.
eNCA
21 hours ago
- Politics
- eNCA
Tens of thousands rally in Dutch protest for Gaza
Tens of thousands of people dressed in red marched through the streets of The Hague Sunday to demand more action from the Dutch government against what they termed a "genocide" in Gaza. Rights groups such as Amnesty International and Oxfam organised the demonstration through the city to the International Court of Justice, creating a so-called "red line". With many waving Palestinian flags and some chanting "Stop the Genocide", the demonstrators turned a central park in the city into a sea of red on a sunny afternoon. One of the organising groups, Oxfam Novib, estimated 150,000 people particpated in the march. Dutch police generally do not give estimates of demonstration turnouts. Protesters brandished banners reading "Don't look away, do something", "Stop Dutch complicity", and "Be silent when kids sleep, not when they die". Organisers urged the Dutch government -- which collapsed on June 3 after a far-right party pulled out of a fragile coalition -- to do more to rein in Israel for its military offensive on the Palestinian territory. "More than 150,000 people here dressed in red -- and a clear majority of the Dutch population -- just want concrete sanctions to stop the genocide in Gaza," said Michiel Servaes, director of Oxfam Novib. "We demand action now from our government," added Servaes. Dodo Van Der Sluis, a 67-year-old pensioner, told AFP: "It has to stop. Enough is enough. I can't take it anymore." "I'm here because I think it's maybe the only thing you can do now as a Dutch citizen, but it's something you have to do," she added. A previous protest in The Hague on May 18 drew more than 100,000 people, according to organisers, who described it as the country's largest demonstration in 20 years. Police also did not give an estimate for that gathering. - 'Suffering in Gaza' - Prime Minister Dick Schoof wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "To all those people in The Hague I say: we see you and we hear you." "In the end, our goal is the same: to end the suffering in Gaza as soon as possible." The Gaza war was sparked by the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Palestinian militant group Hamas. That assault resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures. The militants also took 251 hostages, of whom 54 are still thought to be held in Gaza, including 32 the Israeli military has said are dead. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 55,207 people, the majority of them civilians. The United Nations considers the figures reliable. The International Court of Justice is currently weighing a case brought by South Africa against Israel, arguing its actions in Gaza breach the 1948 UN Genocide Convention. Israel strongly rejects the accusations.
Malay Mail
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Tens of thousands Dutch protesters form ‘red line' for Gaza in biggest demonstration against Israel's genocide in 20 years
THE HAGUE, May 19 — Tens of thousands of people turned out yesterday in The Hague to protest the Dutch government's policy on Israel's war on Gaza. Many protesters dressed in red at the request of the organisers, Oxfam Novib, who wanted to symbolically trace a red line for Gaza. Rally participants pressed the Dutch government to take action against Israel, arguing that it is committing 'genocide' in Gaza. Organisers said more than 100,000 people took part, describing it as the largest demonstration in the country in 20 years. Police did not give an estimate. One demonstrator, 25-year-old Rick Timmermans accused the government of supplying parts for the F-35 warplanes Israel was using for strikes on Gaza. 'Sometimes I'm ashamed of the government because it doesn't want to set any limits,' said 59-year-old schoolteacher Jolanda Nio. Israel's army announced 'extensive ground operations' Sunday as part of its newly expanded campaign in the Gaza Strip, where rescuers reported dozens killed in a wave of Israeli strikes. Hamas's October 2023 attack that triggered the war resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Hamas also took 251 hostages during the attack, 57 of whom remain in Gaza, including 34 the military says are dead. Gaza's health ministry said Sunday at least 3,193 people have been killed since Israel resumed strikes on March 18, taking the war's overall toll to 53,339. The International Court of Justice in The Hague is hearing a case brought by South Africa arguing that the Gaza war breached the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention, an accusation Israel has strongly denied. — AFP
New Indian Express
18-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Tens of thousands protest Gaza 'genocide' in the Netherlands as Israel kills at least 144 Palestinians in less than 24 hrs
Tens of thousands of people turned out Sunday in The Hague to protest the Dutch government's policy on Israel's genocidal war on Gaza. Many protesters dressed in red at the request of the organisers, Oxfam Novib, who wanted to symbolically trace a red line for Gaza. Rally participants pressed the Dutch government to take action against Israel, pointing out that it is committing a genocide in Gaza. Organisers said more than 100,000 people took part, describing it as the largest demonstration in the country in 20 years. Police did not give an estimate. One demonstrator, 25-year-old Rick Timmermans accused the government of supplying parts for the F-35 warplanes Israel was using for strikes on Gaza. "Sometimes I'm ashamed of the government because it doesn't want to set any limits," said 59-year-old schoolteacher Jolanda Nio. Israel's army announced "extensive ground operations" Sunday as part of its "newly expanded" campaign in the Gaza Strip, where rescuers reported dozens killed in a wave of Israeli strikes. At least 144 Palestinians were killed on Sunday in relentless bombardment by the Israel, which also rendered all the public hospitals in northern Gaza out of service. The intensified genocidal operation comes amid growing international concern over worsening humanitarian conditions in the Palestinian territory due to Israel's continuous blockade of humanitarian aid, which has been forcibly starving the entire population.
Asharq Al-Awsat
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Tens of Thousands Protest in The Hague Against Gaza War
Tens of thousands of protesters marched through The Hague on Sunday demanding a tougher stance from the Dutch government against Israel's war in Gaza. Organizer Oxfam Novib said around 100,000 protesters had joined the march, most dressed in red expressing their desire for a "red line" against Israel's siege on Gaza, where it has cut off medical, food and fuel supplies. The march also passed the seat of the International Court of Justice, which is hearing a case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide and last year ordered Israel to halt a military assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Israel dismisses accusations of genocide as baseless and has argued in court that its operations in Gaza are self defense and targeted at Hamas fighters who attacked Israel on Oct. 7. Oxfam Novib said the Dutch government had ignored what it said were war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza, and urged protesters to demand a tougher line. Dutch Foreign Affairs minister Caspar Veldkamp earlier this month said he wanted the EU to reconsider cooperation agreements it has with Israel. But the Dutch government has so far refrained from harsher criticism, and the leader of the largest party in the government coalition, anti-Muslim populist Geert Wilders, has repeatedly voiced unwavering support for Israel. Wilders called Sunday's protesters "confused" and accused them in a post on X of supporting Hamas.
