Prime minister Dick Schoof has proposed a plan to share out the five ministries vacated by Nieuw Sociaal Contract (NSC) between the two remaining coalition parties, VVD and BBB.

The VVD would appoint a caretaker minister of foreign affairs to replace Caspar Veldkamp, who resigned last Friday after failing to persuade his cabinet colleagues to back new sanctions against Israel.

The other four ministers and four junior from NSC pulled out of the cabinet shortly afterwards.

Schoof said on Wednesday after consulting the two parties in the rump cabinet that the VVD would take the ministries of health and social security as well as foreign affairs, while home affairs and education will go to the BBB.

The duties of the former asylum minister, which were split between all three parties after the far-right PVV pulled out of the cabinet in June, will continue to be carried out by justice minister David van Weel (VVD) and housing minister Mona Keijzer (BBB).

MPs will vote later on Wednesday on whether to approve the reshuffle, which would allow the government to continue without having to bring in opposition parties.

“Bad look”

Schoof dismissed a plan by opposition party D66 to appoint a technocratic “cabinet of national unity” until a new government can be formed after the election in October.

The prime minister said the second collapse of his cabinet in three months was “more than sad” and a “bad look for politics”.

He acknowledged that the two-party coalition, which has just 32 MPs, would have to seek support from across parliament for the cabiinet’s bills. “Modesty is required on the part of the cabinet,” he told a debate in parliament.

But he called on MPs to take a constructive approach to avoid political deadlock on key issues such as compensating victims of Groningen gas drilling and the tax office benefits scandal, supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression, and the annual budget bill, which is due to be presented in three weeks’ time.

He also ruled out a reconciliation with the NSC ministers, despite suggesting that the walkout might have been avoided. “Maybe we could have found another way to resolve it,” he said.

Praise for Veldkamp

Schoof was criticised for stating that Veldkamp had “stood up and walked out” of the cabinet meeting on Friday during a discussion on extra sanctions against Israel.

Veldkamp had told parliament he wanted to impose measures such as a trade boycott and an arms embargo in response to Israel’s invasion of Gaza city and the planned construction of new settlements on the West Bank.

Schoof said he had “heard that Mr Veldkamp had announced his departure to the media” while the meeting was still ongoing. But he insisted that he was not casting doubt on the former foreign minister’s integrity.

“Mr Veldkamp deserves nothing but praise for everything he has done in the period beforehand,” he said.

Pressure on Israel

Schoof and the coalition parties also came under renwed pressure from opposition parties to take action against Israel over Gaza.

Frans Timmermans, leader of the main opposition party GL-PvdA, challenged VVD leader Dilan Yesilgöz to back a ban on imports of products from the occupied West Bank, while Volt leader Laurens Dassen tabled a motion that would declare Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu persona non grata.

Esther Ouwehand of the animal rights party PvdD called on the government to allow injured Palestinian children to be treated in Dutch hospitals.

Yesilgöz said the VVD preferred to see sanctions implemented at European level, but would support unilateral action by the Netherlands if the EU member states could not agree.

She also said treating Palestinian children in other Middle Eastern countries with Dutch support was a better option than bringing them to Netherlands.

A motion of no confidence in the cabinet, tabled by Denk MP Stephan van Baarle, failed to secure majority backing.