Thousands of ‘Christian friends’ rally in support for Israel in Amsterdam

Thousands of Dutch people gathered at Dam Square in Amsterdam on Thursday evening to show their support for Israel.

The Israeli embassy in the Netherlands described the rally as “heartwarming,” and thanked the attendees on behalf of the Jewish state.

Ambassador Zvi Vapni applauded “our amazing Christian friends,” who came out “despite the rain and wind” and rolled out a large Israeli flag at the heart of the iconic square.

Vapni thanked the attendees in a short video message screened on a stage, saying that Israel and its supporters are facing a “very challenging time.”

The “distorted version of reality” spread by the media, coupled with anti-Israel and antisemitic agendas pushed by politicians in parliament, make it important to let the world know that Israel has many friends in the Netherlands, the diplomat continued.

“What you’re doing here tonight is amazing and I salute you all. You send a message of truth over lies, of courage over fear; you send a message that says, ‘We stand together because we know the truth,’” he said.

Dutch sanctions on Judea and Samaria to take effect on Sept. 22

A Dutch court on Wednesday rejected the petition of a local importer and a Jewish group against the government’s decision to ban the import of goods made or marketed by Israelis in Judea and Samaria.

In their petition for an injunction against the ban, which the government said would come into effect next week, the Israel Product Center and the European Jewish Association (IPC and EJA, respectively) listed five justifications for their case, including E.U. regulations that ensure trade across the bloc, and the freedom of commerce of Dutch citizens.

The Court of The Hague said the EJA, which is a Belgian organization, had no legal standing in the Netherlands and therefore cannot be considered as a petitioner.

The Dutch ban on Israeli-made goods from Judea, Samaria and the Golan Heights is set to come into effect on Sept. 22. Intentional violations will be considered a criminal act and will carry a maximum sentence of six years in prison or a fine of up to €103,000 ($117,000), according to the decree.

In response, the Israeli government decided to evict the Dutch from the U.S.-led International Gaza Support Center (IGSC), formerly known as the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC), in the southern Israeli city of Kiryat Gat, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said last month.