Israel Orders Dutch Diplomats in Ramallah to Return Credentials Within Seven Days

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar ordered Dutch diplomats at the Netherlands Representative Office in Ramallah to return their Israeli-issued credentials within seven days. Their diplomatic rights and immunities under those credentials will expire at the end of that period. Sa’ar linked the decision to Dutch measures concerning Israel, including a ban on importing, buying and selling goods from Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories. The Dutch government says that ban took effect on September 22, after it announced the measure in July. The Ramallah office represents the Netherlands to the Palestinian territories.