Bilateral ties between Jerusalem and The Hague are likely at their lowest point in history, Israeli Ambassador to the Netherlands Zvi Vapni told JNS on Thursday, citing rising tensions, Dutch policies unfavorable to Israel and a lack of substantive dialogue between the two governments.
“It is surprising in the Dutch case because the country was in a more central position until about two and a half years ago. Then, it took quite a drastic turn in a direction that is problematic and has strained our relationship,” he said.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog, in an interview with the Dutch daily De Telegraaf published on Oct. 6, invited Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten to visit the site of the Supernova music festival massacre. Vapni said he was unaware of any plans for Jetten to visit Israel, but believed the prime minister should do so.
Turning to attacks targeting Jewish sites, Vapni cited several incidents in March and April 2026, including an explosive device that damaged a Jewish school in Amsterdam, an arson attack on a synagogue in Rotterdam and an explosion outside the Christians for Israel center.
“The embassy was targeted several times. There were attempts to breach the building or cause damage outside. None was successful, but these incidents show that some elements are motivated to act on their anti-Israel sentiment,” he said.
“The police, on a professional level, are doing decent work. We are not saying that our concerns are being ignored, but of course, when it comes to the Jewish community, a Molotov cocktail thrown at a synagogue in a small community like Rotterdam causes concern,” he added.
Although the current Dutch government has been more difficult to work with, Vapni said, the deterioration in relations began gradually. He traced the decline to Caspar Veldkamp, who served as the Netherlands’ foreign minister from July 2024 to August 2025 and proposed an investigation into Israel’s compliance with the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
“This was a moment when things started to turn. Traditionally, the Netherlands was in the middle, between the Czech Republic and Ireland. Today, it is sliding in the direction of Spain and Ireland, and that is not a good development,” he told JNS.
“Within the last year, I have seen the change. There has been a documented rise in antisemitism, incidents, attacks and demonstrations. My feeling is that beyond the usual statements ..., I don’t see much being done to address the problem,” he added.
Vapni said the problem lies in how the Netherlands defines the line between antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment. He cited former foreign minister and GreenLeft–Labour alliance parliamentary leader Frans Timmermans’ comparison of Israel’s actions in Gaza to those of Nazi Germany, describing it as Holocaust inversion, which is included in the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism. Vapni said he would expect the government to publicly reject such remarks and characterize them as antisemitic.
“None of it was done,” he said.
“People marched with signs supporting Hamas and Hezbollah, both recognized terrorist organizations. This is not only anti-Israel; it is a threat to the Jewish community and therefore antisemitic. The mayor [of Amsterdam] allowed them to march with their faces covered, as if granting amnesty to people who support terror,” he said.
Even when someone is accused of antisemitism, Vapni said, bringing that person to justice can be a cumbersome process.
“Some police officers would prefer not to classify an incident as antisemitic because doing so requires additional paperwork and procedures,” he said.
These factors, Vapni added, create an environment in which antisemitism can flourish, as perpetrators face limited chances of being punished.
He warned that unchecked antisemitism threatens not only the Jewish community but the Netherlands as a whole, citing historical experience. He said Israeli officials were raising their concerns in every available forum.
Universities students may encounter only one perspective on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict if the Israeli viewpoint is unable to gain a foothold on campus, Vapni warned. Students could come to view open hostility toward Jews as acceptable.
“There is a cloud of fear in the Netherlands. There are a lot of friends of Israel, but they are afraid. As such, many of them are very quiet. Taking a pro-Israeli stance may jeopardize one’s career; they may face shaming on the internet. If they have a business, their windows will be broken. People are afraid,” the ambassador said.
Singling out Jews
Addressing the recent Dutch ban on products from Judea and Samaria, Vapni said he had been heavily involved in efforts to block the measure.
“First of all, we are against any kind of ban or sanctions on any part of Israel. Second, the way this ban was written leaves many loopholes, and it could be used to extend the boycott beyond Judea and Samaria and the Golan Heights,” he said.
Under the measure, Vapni said, importers must demonstrate that the products they bring into the Netherlands, including their ingredients, do not originate in Judea and Samaria or the Golan Heights. The requirements could prompt importers to turn to suppliers in countries with less burdensome administrative requirements, he added.
The decree also provides for what Vapni described as draconian penalties, including a maximum prison sentence of six years for violations involving travelers bringing products from the region. The severity of the potential punishment was surprising in a country he characterized as relatively lenient, he said.
“I think, to a large extent, the foreign minister and customs officials are puzzled themselves and don’t know how to apply this law. It’s very unclear to them. If customs officials randomly open a suitcase from a flight arriving from Israel, they may ask whether the traveler has anything from Judea and Samaria or the Golan Heights. It is also a form of singling out Jews, and we know of no other country whose travelers are required to go through that procedure,” he said.
Although the government has said it will not pursue private individuals, Vapni said Dutch law allows pro-Palestinian NGOs to petition courts to compel the government to enforce the decree, undermining those assurances.
Vapni also pointed to the mayor of Alkmaar, a city in the province of North Holland, banning Israeli fans from attending a match two years after Israeli soccer fans were attacked in the streets of Amsterdam following a Europa League match between Ajax Amsterdam and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
“She decided that, for security reasons, she would not allow any Israeli fans to attend. I had a very difficult conversation with her, during which I offered to limit the number of fans and have them travel on designated buses to address her security concerns, but she refused to budge,” Vapni told JNS. “She refused to consider any kind of arrangement that would allow Israeli fans to attend. I think it’s shameful. This is not the way to behave. This is very unsportsmanlike, and I think it’s a bad example of how to deal with it.”
Vapni said mayors are responsible for ensuring the safety of teams and fans at matches held in their cities. If they cannot guarantee security, he said, they should acknowledge that and allow the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) to move the match to another city or country.
The Netherlands’ 50,000 Jews and Israelis are concerned about their safety, he said, adding that members of the community had shared their concerns with him.
“I would not say it is unsafe for Jews in the Netherlands, but I think members of the Jewish community would say they have reason to be concerned about the general atmosphere around them,” he said.
“Each community has connections with the local police and the mayor to ensure its security, but unfortunately, things are not what they used to be,” he added.
