Dutch Foreign Minister and NSC Ministers resign over blocked Israel sanctions
Following a cabinet meeting, Veldkamp told reporters that he could no longer continue in his role:
"The cabinet has already taken several steps [against Israel]. Holland should not be ashamed of that. But given what is happening in Gaza and the West Bank, I felt pressure from within the cabinet not to go further. That left me no room to act."
Veldkamp said the lack of support made it impossible to fulfill his duties and announced he would submit his resignation letter to the King.
Shortly after, other NSC ministers also stepped down. NSC leader and Deputy Prime Minister Eddy van Hijum confirmed the move, declaring: “In short, our patience has run out.” He added that the group unanimously decided to follow Veldkamp’s lead, citing deadlock in negotiations with the other two coalition partners – the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and the Farmer–Citizen Movement (BBB).
Van Hijum argued that Israel’s settlement expansion plan required “very clear measures,” saying it violated international agreements and undermined the two-state solution. He stressed that the cabinet failed to show real willingness to act: “When European measures take too long, a minister must be able to act nationally on behalf of the government. Veldkamp did not feel that space, and neither do we.”
Prime Minister Schoof: “We respect the decision, but regret it”
Caretaker Prime Minister Dick Schoof confirmed that Veldkamp and NSC’s ministers had submitted their resignations: “We respect their decision, though we regret it, especially in this interim period when cabinet responsibility is so important.”
He acknowledged that the government failed to reach agreement on Gaza: “The worsening situation there is dramatic. We all see the suffering and want to improve the humanitarian situation today, not tomorrow. But the three parties could not reach a common position.”
Schoof said the government would consult on how to proceed and present a roadmap in the coming days.
Political Consequences
The resignations leave the three-party caretaker coalition weakened ahead of the October 29 snap elections. Opposition parties criticized Schoof’s response as “deeply insufficient” and demanded a parliamentary debate next week on the government’s stability.
The outgoing NSC ministers include the ministers for Social Affairs, Interior, Education, Health, and several state secretaries. Their departure follows that of far-right leader Geert Wilders, who pulled his Freedom Party (PVV) from the coalition in June over migration policy disputes.
The Dutch parliament is expected to hold a comprehensive debate on the resignations and their impact on the government in the coming days.
