By Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief
THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS (Worthy News) – The Netherlands was without a functioning full government Sunday after numerous ministers and state secretaries resigned amid tensions over the war in Gaza, a conflict that has shaken Dutch politics and unsettled the Jewish community.
Caretaker Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp resigned Friday after failing to secure cabinet support for tougher sanctions on Israel, citing resistance to “additional significant measures” in response to the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the West Bank.
“I have felt pushback in the cabinet for additional measures,” Veldkamp told reporters. He added that he could not remain in office “if unable to implement the policies I deem necessary.”
Veldkamp, a former ambassador to Israel, was one of the most prominent voices in government calling for stricter measures. His departure prompted all ministers and state secretaries from his New Social Contract (NSC) party to quit in solidarity, leaving the caretaker government severely weakened ahead of October’s general election.
Analysts warn that the political paralysis could hamper both foreign policy responses and the handling of rising domestic tensions linked to the Gaza war.
The political wrangling over Gaza has also spilled into the streets, further frightening the Dutch Jewish community, including Holocaust survivors and their families.
WAR MONUMENT DEFACED
On Saturday, the National World War II Monument at Dam Square in Amsterdam was defaced with the phrase “Never again is now” during a pro-Palestinian demonstration. Police arrested a 24-year-old man at the scene, Worthy News monitored.
Jewish organizations expressed outrage, describing the incident as a desecration of a national symbol dedicated to Holocaust victims.
Advocacy groups said the slogan’s appropriation in this context was a distortion of historical memory and a deeply unsettling signal to survivors and their families.
Critics said such acts risk “trivializing the meaning of ‘never again’” and exacerbate a climate of insecurity for Jews in the Netherlands.
The phrase “Never again” has long been central to Dutch and international remembrance of the Holocaust. Its use in a politically charged protest has fueled concerns that Holocaust symbolism is being co-opted in debates over the Gaza war.
With the government weakened and public tensions high, community leaders say Jewish citizens now face a dual uncertainty: political instability in The Hague and growing unease on the streets.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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