Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns After Failed Push for Israel Sanctions
- Posted on August 23, 2025
- International News
- By Arijit Dutta
- 82 Views
Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp resigned after failing to win cabinet support for tougher sanctions on Israel over Gaza. His departure triggered a wider government walkout by his party. He had cancelled export permits to Israel and pushed for EU trade suspension, while the UN confirmed famine conditions worsening in Gaza.
Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp resigned on Friday after failing to secure cabinet backing for tougher sanctions on Israel over its military operations in Gaza. The 61-year-old New Social Contract politician, who previously served as ambassador to Israel, said he could no longer chart the course he believed necessary.
Veldkamp accused some ministers of blocking even existing sanctions and announced he had cancelled three export permits for parts used in Israeli navy ships, citing risks of “undesirable end use” amid worsening conditions in Gaza. He had also sought a suspension of the EU’s trade deal with Israel and proposed a ban on imports from Israeli settlements.
His resignation sparked a political crisis in The Hague, as all ministers and state secretaries from his party withdrew from the caretaker government in solidarity. Prime Minister Dick Schoof expressed regret over the move, but opposition lawmakers had already been pressing for a no-confidence vote, accusing Veldkamp of acting too softly.
The Netherlands has recently taken a tougher line on Israel, declaring two Israeli ministers persona non grata and joining 21 other countries in condemning settlement expansion in the West Bank.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has deteriorated sharply. The United Nations confirmed famine conditions, with more than half a million Palestinians facing catastrophic food shortages. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the crisis as a “living hell,” underscoring the urgency of international action.
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Veldkamp’s exit highlights deep political divisions in the Netherlands over how to respond to Israel’s actions, while raising questions about the stability of the ruling coalition amid an escalating humanitarian disaster.
