Labour MP Martijn van Dam has asked foreign minister Maxime Verhagen to explain why the Netherlands voted against a UN human rights council motion condemning Israel’s actions during the recent Gaza war.

The Netherlands joined the US and four other countries in voting against the resolution. Britain, France and Germany did not vote.
Van Dam asked Verhagen why the Netherlands had not followed other EU countries in not voting at all. ‘ Why do you regard a divided response from the EU as more desirable than a united position which neither votes for or against?’ news agency ANP quoted him as saying.
The Netherlands said earlier it voted against the resolution because it only condemned Israel and ignored Israel’s right to self defence.
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