Veldkamp promises earlier cabinet briefings on Israel after row

Foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp said on Friday he would inform his cabinet colleagues about sensitive decisions earlier in the process, following a row over the Dutch government’s new position on Israel, broadcaster NOS reported.

Far-right leader Geert Wilders had demanded to know who had been briefed and consulted about the policy shift, outlined in a letter to the European Commission by Veldkamp on Wednesday.

Wilders, leader of the biggest party in parliament but not part of the government, is a staunch supporter of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a vocal advocate for Israel.

He was furious after Veldkamp accused Israel of breaching human rights law with its plan to permanently occupy the Gaza region, and called for a review of Israel’s free trade agreement with the European Union.

The comments represent the strongest criticism of Israel by the Dutch government since the bombardment of Gaza began in response to the Hamas terrorist attacks.

Foreign trade and aid minister Reinette Klever, a PVV minister, told reporters ahead of the weekly cabinet meeting that she would have liked to have been consulted about Veldkamp’s position. “Israel is an important issue for the party which I am involved with,” she said.

Klever said she first heard about the letter on Tuesday evening and decided to support it “in the interests of cabinet unity”. She added, however, that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is currently “terrible” and that the lack of access for aid is worrying, NOS said.

Veldkamp, a former Dutch ambassador to Israel, reiterated that ministers often discuss strategy towards Israel. He also pointed out that the coalition agreement states the cabinet “will speak out and will take action” if human rights are being seriously abused in a given country. “That is the path I have taken,” he said.

Support for Israel’s actions in Gaza has been declining in the Netherlands, including among PVV voters.