Israel expels two Dutch officials over settlement goods ban

Israel has expelled two Dutch officials from the US-backed Gaza ceasefire coordination center, in retaliation for the Netherlands' recent ban on goods from illegal Israeli settlements. The decision was made by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, with the approval of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The officials were removed from the coordination center in Kiryat Gat and given one week to leave Israel.

This action follows the Netherlands' recent ban on goods from illegal Israeli settlements, which comes into effect on September 22. The two individuals expelled are a member of staff at the Dutch embassy in Israel and an official from the Netherlands' representation in Ramallah, both serving as observers at the center. Israeli Foreign Minister Saar stated that those who act against Israel will have no place in the region, and claimed that the Dutch government's policy had been accompanied by an "unprecedented wave of antisemitism and boycotts" in the Netherlands.

The Gaza aid center was established under the US plan to end the war in Gaza, bringing together representatives from over a dozen countries to monitor the ceasefire, oversee aid, and help plan the territory's reconstruction. This expulsion marks the second time a country has been removed from the center, following Israel's expulsion of Spain in April.

The move comes amid a series of diplomatic clashes, including Israel's summoning of the Dutch ambassador last year over travel bans imposed on two far-right Israeli ministers. Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen expressed regret over the expulsion, calling it "unnecessary" and attributing it to the Israeli elections at the end of October.

He maintained that the settlement-goods ban would not change and emphasized the continued need for aid to Gaza to fulfill commitments made under Trump's plan.