Tens of thousands of people from the Netherlands took to the streets of Amsterdam on Sunday, wearing red clothing to protest against the ongoing violence against Palestinians in Gaza. The protesters raised their voices to the authorities by carrying placards that read "Stop the War Crimes."
Demands of the Protesters
The organizers of the protest announced that about 20,000 people participated in this demonstration titled "Red Line" and called on the Dutch government to take effective action against Israel. One of the protesters, 33-year-old robotics engineer Steven Eisenberg, originally from the United States, said: "Stop sending weapons to Israel." He expressed support for Palestine, adding: "I am Jewish myself and my family lives in Israel, but I want to say that I support Palestine and oppose genocide."
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Humanitarian Situation in Gaza
A fragile ceasefire between Hamas and Israel was established in October last year following two years of war triggered by a deadly attack by the jihadist movement Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023. However, the acute humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip continues, and Israeli airstrikes and ongoing violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank have increased.
Unlike other European countries such as France and Belgium, the Netherlands has not yet recognized the Palestinian state. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte had joined a similar protest in 2025 and recently stated in an interview that his participation in such demonstrations is now "inappropriate."
At the end of September, the Dutch government imposed a ban on products produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, which are considered illegal under international law. In response to this action, Gideon Saar, Israel's Foreign Minister, revoked the credentials of Dutch diplomats.
The Netherlands has also withdrawn from the Eurovision 2027 competition due to sensitivities regarding Israel's participation in the event.
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