Israel–Netherlands relations

Israel–Netherlands relations

Israel
Netherlands

Israel–Netherlands relations are foreign relations between Israel and the Netherlands.

History

In 1947, the Netherlands voted in favor of the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine. Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1949.[1]

The Netherlands was initially among the most supportive countries of Israel in Europe. It was one of the few countries to establish an embassy in Jerusalem, whereas most countries preferred placing their embassies in the Tel Aviv area until the final status of Jerusalem was resolved. Following the Six-Day War, the Dutch people raised about $4.2 million for Israel in donations.[2] After the Soviet Union cut off diplomatic relations with Israel due to the Six-Day War, the Dutch Embassy in Moscow established an Israel interests' section which represented Israel in the Soviet Union until diplomatic relations were reestablished in January 1991.[3] In 1973, during the Yom Kippur War, the Netherlands was one of only two European countries (the other being Portugal) that allowed American aircraft ferrying military equipment to Israel as part of Operation Nickel Grass to use its airbases. The Netherlands also supplied Israel with military equipment during the war, primarily engines, spare parts, and shells for its British-built Centurion tanks after the British government had imposed an arms embargo on Israel and thus cut off Israel's original source for this material, but also parts and munitions for light AMX tanks, artillery ammunition, and aircraft bombs.[4] A number of Dutch truck drivers worked in Israel during to replace Israeli truck drivers who had been called up for military service.[5]

In 1980, following the Jerusalem Law and a UN Resolution asking member states to withdraw their Jerusalem embassies in response, the Dutch government moved its embassy from Jerusalem.[6] Dutch forces were deployed as part of the UNIFIL peacekeeping force in Lebanon, and during the 1982 Lebanon War, Dutch forces, along with other UNIFIL units, attempted to obstruct the Israeli advance by putting up obstacles and holding their positions. A unit of six Dutch soldiers manning a checkpoint near Naqoura set up tank traps and managed to disable two Israeli tanks, but ran out of checkpoints, and were ultimately bypassed by the armored column.[7]

The Embassy of Israel in the Netherlands is located in this building in The Hague. (May 2014)

During the Gulf War in 1991, Iraq launched Scud missile attacks against Israel in the hopes of provoking an Israeli counterattack and thus rupturing the Coalition, which included Arab countries. Israel agreed not to attack Iraq in exchange for protection, and Coalition Patriot missile batteries were deployed in Israel to counter the Scud attacks. The Royal Netherlands Air Force deployed a patriot missile squadron to Israel and Turkey. The Dutch Defense Ministry later confirmed that the Patriot missiles had been largely ineffective, but the psychological value was high.[8] Israel has an embassy in The Hague.[9]

The Netherlands has an embassy in Ramat Gan, an information office in Jerusalem and two honorary consulates in Eilat and Haifa.[10] Both countries are full members of the Union for the Mediterranean.

Diaspora

There are 32,800 Jews living in the Netherlands.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Israel (in Dutch only)
  2. ↑ http://www.jta.org/1967/12/21/archive/israeli-finance-minister-lauds-dutch-for-generous-aid-after-six-day-war
  3. ↑ "They did not dwell alone. The emigration from the Soviet Union. 1967 - 1990. During the representation of Israeli Interests by the Netherlands Embassy in Moscow." Summary of dissertation at the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen by Petrus Buwalda. Groningen, 1996.
  4. ↑ The Netherlands and the Oil Crisis: Business as Usual, p. 27-30
  5. ↑ http://www.jcpa.org/israel-europe/ier-pazner-05.htm
  6. ↑ https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=19800826&id=cPhVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5-EDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3286,7850702&hl=en
  7. ↑ Warriors of God: Inside Hezbollah's Thirty-Year Struggle Against Israel, p. 41
  8. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20110428093020/http://www.defensie.nl/landmacht/onderwijs/werkstukken_basisvorming/golfoorlog/betrokkenheid_van_nederland
  9. ↑ Israeli embassy in The Hague
  10. ↑ Dutch embassy in Tel Aviv

External links

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