Overview

• Caspar Veldkamp said he lacked the space to take “meaningful” additional measures against Israel after a deadlocked cabinet debate.
• All New Social Contract ministers and state secretaries resigned in solidarity, prompting Prime Minister Dick Schoof to express regret over the departures.
• Dutch MPs on Saturday voted against recognizing a Palestinian state and rejected proposed punitive steps such as boycotting settlement products and banning weapons purchases from Israel.
• Veldkamp had earlier barred Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich from entering the Netherlands, revoked three export permits for navy ship components, and joined a 21-country declaration opposing a major West Bank settlement plan.
• The resignations followed a U.N. famine declaration for parts of Gaza, persistent mass protests in The Hague, and continued EU divisions over collective sanctions, including proposals for program suspensions, trade limits and visa bans.