Thousands Attend ‘Red Line’ Protest in The Hague Against Israel

Tens of thousands of pro-Palestine demonstrators gathered in the Netherlands( Hague) to oppose Israel’s war on Gaza and call on the government to take a stronger stance. The protest, which drew over 150,000 people according to Oxfam, aimed to create a symbolic “red line” that the government has failed to set to halt Israel’s war on Gaza and its Palestinian population.

Demonstrators sang, delivered speeches, and marched past the International Court of Justice, which is hearing a case by South Africa accusing Israel of committing genocide during its war on the besieged enclave.

Michiel Servaes, director of Oxfam Novib, said the large turnout was proof that more people in the Netherlands reject their government’s support for Israel. “More than 150,000 people” attended the protest calling for “concrete sanctions to stop the genocide in Gaza”. Al Jazeera’s Step Vaessen reported from The Hague that protesters said the focus should remain on the continuing genocide in Gaza despite Israel’s efforts to distract attention. Protesters also called for Israel to stop its attacks on Iran.

Prime Minister Dick Schoof acknowledged the unprecedented number of protesters, saying, “The Netherlands remains committed to stopping the violence and ending the humanitarian blockade. We are constantly looking at how we can be most effective with our efforts, both in front of and behind the scenes, to improve the situation on the ground.” He added, “To all those people in The Hague, I say: ‘We see you and we hear you.’ Our goal is ultimately the same: to end the suffering in Gaza as soon as possible.”

Salih el Saddy, a medical doctor protesting, expressed the pain of watching scenes from Gaza, saying, “As a doctor, it’s very painful to watch”. Pro-Palestine protests were also taking place in Belgium, Turkey, Brazil, and Greece, all calling for an immediate end to the war in Gaza.