After World War II, when the few Dutch Holocaust survivors returned home, they faced a particularly harsh reality. Some were required to pay gas bills and taxes that went unpaid while they were in detention, concentration, and extermination camps. Even when the debts were incurred after local Dutch residents moved into their homes during their absence, authorities insisted on payment.
This story is just part of the backdrop to the complex attitude toward Jews and Israel in the Netherlands. Alongside a local public that supports Israel and the Jewish community, recent weeks have seen a series of moves and statements against Israel from the government and establishment. One of the most prominent moves is a ban on trade with Judea and Samaria. Dr. Eliahu Sapir from Maastricht University explained that for the Dutch, this is also a message to Israel, but according to him, “Dutch bureaucracy will make it very difficult to enforce this law.”
According to multiple reports from Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, certain flights saw inspections of bags and luggage belonging to passengers arriving from Israel, aimed at checking whether products originating in Judea and Samaria were brought into the country. Violating the law could lead to a lengthy prison sentence.
While products from Judea and Samaria face restrictions, a storm erupted in the Netherlands over a student of Gazan origin named Hussein Issa, who received a scholarship to study at a local university. In footage circulated on social media, Issa is seen responding to videos of Hamas operatives and saying: “October 7… I was there.” He has since been suspended, but his very admission to studies sparked criticism.
Dr. Sapir connects these cases to a broader struggle facing the Jewish community in the Netherlands in recent years. According to him, “This wave started immediately after October 7. We saw hate demonstrations, and academic institutions that moved to sever ties with Israel.” He added that “this process reached a point where Hamas supporters found their way into academic institutions in the Netherlands.” The minority government in the Netherlands led by Jetten relies in part on cooperation between forces seeking to prevent the Dutch right led by Geert Wilders from returning to power.
The Dutch right has criticized the series of incidents, and in parallel, a large pro-Israel demonstration was also held in recent weeks at Dam Square in Amsterdam. This creates a complex picture in the Netherlands: on one hand, government measures against the settlements and harsh statements toward Israel, and on the other hand, a local public that continues to express support for Israel and the Jewish community.