Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp has resigned after failing to secure cabinet support for additional sanctions against Israel over its military onslaught in Gaza.
Veldkamp, a member of the centre-right New Social Contract party, cited the lack of internal consensus as a key reason for his resignation.
“I feel constrained in setting the course I consider necessary as foreign minister,” he said, underscoring the challenges of navigating complex international relations.
Veldkamp had been pushing for stronger measures, including potential sanctions, but faced resistance from colleagues.
His efforts included imposing entry bans on far-right Israeli ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, citing their role in inciting settler violence against Palestinians.
Veldkamp also revoked three export permits for navy ship components, warning of “deteriorating conditions” in Gaza and the “risk of undesirable end use”.
The Dutch foreign minister’s actions demonstrate his commitment to addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The Netherlands had joined 20 other nations in condemning Israel’s approval of a large West Bank settlement expansion, calling it “unacceptable and contrary to international law”.
Despite limited Dutch sanctions on Israel, the country continues to support the supply chain of Israel’s F-35 fighter jet, which has been used in air strikes on Gaza.
Research from the Palestinian Youth Movement shared with Al Jazeera in June shows that ships carrying F-35 components frequently dock at the port of Rotterdam, operated by Danish shipping company Maersk.
Following Veldkamp’s resignation, all New Social Contract ministers and state secretaries confirmed their support for Veldkamp and resigned from the caretaker government in solidarity.
The caretaker Dutch government, which has been in place since the collapse of the previous coalition on June 3, is expected to remain until a new coalition is formed following elections in October, a process that could take months.
Step Vaessen noted that Veldkamp was “under increasing pressure from lawmakers in parliament, especially from the opposition who have been requesting stricter sanctions against Israel”.
Veldkamp had also been pushing for a suspension of the trade agreement that the EU has with Israel. However, Germany’s blocking of this measure led to growing frustration.
“Veldkamp has also been pushing for a suspension of the trade agreement that the EU has with Israel,” Vaessen added, noting that the Dutch foreign minister had “increasingly become frustrated because Germany was blocking that”.
The EU’s inability to agree on sanctions against Israel highlights the complexities of international diplomacy.
Meanwhile, Israel’s military attacks on Gaza continue, forcing civilians from Gaza City southwards amid mounting famine. A global hunger monitor confirmed on Friday that residents of Gaza City and surrounding areas are officially facing famine conditions.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has sparked widespread condemnation, with Professor William Schabas describing the famine as a “war crime of starvation”.