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 Israel |  Netherlands |
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Israel–Netherlands relations are foreign relations betweenIsrael and theNetherlands. The Netherlands has an embassy inRamat Gan, an information office inJerusalem and two honorary consulates inEilat andHaifa.[1] Israel has an embassy inThe Hague.[2] Both countries are full members of theUnion for the Mediterranean.
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His majesty KingWillem-Alexander of the Netherlands commemorated the long-lasting bonding between the Netherlands and the re-establishment of a Jewish homeland in Israel (President Shimon Peres' dinner 2013): “It was a Dutch banker from The Hague,Jacobus Kann, who made possible the purchase of the land on which the first modern districts of Tel Aviv were built, more than 100 years ago.”[citation needed] Jacobus Henricus Kann (1872–1944) was a Jewish Dutch banker and owner of the private bank NV Bankierskantoor van Lissa & Kann (ABN AMRO Bank), among his clientele were members of the Dutch royal family, a founder of BankOtzar Hityashvut Hayehudim andBank Anglo Palestine (Bank Leumi), and an affluent investor in companies as the Palestine Potash Limited (Dead Sea Works) andFrutarom.[citation needed] Kann sponsored many ofHertzel activities and thezionist conferences and purchased the land forAchuzat Bait- the seed of Tel-Aviv.[citation needed] Kann arrived to Jerusalem for a third time in 1924 with his family and was nominated as the first Consul of the Netherlands in Jerusalem (1924–27). Kann died on October 7, 1944, in theTheresienstadt concentration camp.
In 1947, the Netherlands voted in favor of theUnited Nations Partition Plan for Palestine. Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1949.[3]
The Netherlands was initially among the most supportive countries of Israel in Europe. It was one of the few countries to establish an embassy inJerusalem, whereas most countries preferred placing their embassies in theTel Aviv area until the final status of Jerusalem was resolved. Following theSix-Day War, the Dutch people raised about $4.2 million for Israel in donations.[4] After theSoviet Union cut off diplomatic relations with Israel due to the Six-Day War, the Dutch Embassy inMoscow established an Israel interests' section which represented Israel in the Soviet Union until diplomatic relations were reestablished in January 1991.[5] In 1973, during theYom Kippur War, the Netherlands was one of only two European countries (the other beingPortugal) that allowed American aircraft ferrying military equipment to Israel as part ofOperation 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-builtCenturion tanks after the British government had imposed anarms 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.[6] A number of Dutch truck drivers worked in Israel during the war to replace Israeli truck drivers who had been called up for military service.[7]
In 1980, following theJerusalem Law and a UN Resolution asking member states to withdraw their Jerusalem embassies in response, the Dutch government moved its embassy from Jerusalem.[8] Dutch forces were deployed as part of theUNIFIL peacekeeping force inLebanon, and during the1982 Lebanon War, a unit of Dutch peacekeepers was one of the few UNIFIL units that attempted to obstruct the Israeli advance. The Dutch soldiers put up obstacles that damaged two Israeli tanks, but the Israeli armored column ultimately forced its way through their position.[9]
During theGulf War in 1991,Iraq launchedScud missile attacks against Israel in the hopes of provoking an Israeli counterattack and thus rupturing theAllied Coalition, which included Arab countries. Israel agreed not to attack Iraq in exchange for protection, and CoalitionPatriot missile batteries were deployed in Israel to counter the Scud attacks. TheRoyal Netherlands Air Force deployed a patriot missile squadron to Israel andTurkey. The Dutch Defense Ministry later confirmed that the Patriot missiles had been largely ineffective, but the psychological value was high.[10]
After theIsraeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, a court in the Netherlands ordered the government to freeze all exports of F-35 fighter jets that Israel uses to bomb the Gaza Strip. This ruling is the result of a complaint against the government by Dutch humanitarian organizations Oxfam Novib, PAX Netherlands Peace Movement Foundation and The Rights Forum.[11]
On June 19, 2025, during theIran-Israel War the Dutch embassy was hit causing damage but no injuries.[12]
According to a 2025Pew Research Center survey, 19% of people in the Netherlands had a favorable view of Israel, while 78% had an unfavorable view; 19% had confidence in Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu, while 78% did not.[13]
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