‘Israel’ expels Dutch officials from Gaza center over settlement goods ban

‘Israel’s’ Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced on Tuesday that representatives of the Netherlands will be immediately expelled from the International Support Center for Gaza in Kiryat Gat, southern ‘Israel’, and must leave within one week.

The decision, approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, comes in direct response to the Dutch government’s recent legislation banning trade in goods produced in ‘Israeli’ settlements in the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights.

Sa’ar framed the move as retaliation for what he called a series of “anti-Israel measures” by the Dutch government, with the settlement products ban—set to take effect on September 22—as the latest example.

“Our message is clear: Those who act against Israel will have no foothold in the region. Israel will not allow measures to be taken against it without a response,” he stated.

He also claimed the Dutch policy has been accompanied by “an unprecedented wave of antisemitism and boycotts” in the Netherlands.

Notice was delivered to the Dutch embassy in ‘Israel’ and to US officials.

The center, formerly known as the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC), was established in October 2025 under a US-backed ceasefire arrangement to coordinate humanitarian relief, stabilization, and reconstruction efforts in the war-devastated Gaza Strip.

Dutch personnel had been participating as civilian experts contributing to these international efforts aimed at alleviating the severe humanitarian crisis facing Palestinians in Gaza.

The Dutch ban prohibits the import, purchase, sale, and related intermediary services for goods from settlements widely regarded as illegal under international law.

It aligns the Netherlands with other European countries such as Spain, Ireland, and Belgium that have taken similar steps to avoid economic contributions to the occupation.

Dutch officials have described the measure as necessary to uphold international legal obligations regarding the occupied Palestinian territories.

Critics of ‘Israel’s’ decision view the expulsion as a punitive attempt to silence legitimate criticism of settlement expansion and the ongoing occupation, which has long been condemned by the United Nations and much of the international community as a barrier to Palestinian self-determination and peace.

By removing a European partner from a key coordination hub for Gaza aid and monitoring, ‘Israel’ risks further isolating itself and complicating already fragile efforts to deliver relief to Palestinians enduring the aftermath of prolonged conflict.

This is not the first such action: ‘Israel’ previously removed Spanish representatives from the same center in April, citing Madrid’s critical stance.