Netherlands declares two Israeli ministers ‘persona non grata’
The Netherlands has declared two far-right Israeli ministers, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, persona non grata for inciting settler violence and calling for ethnic cleansing in Gaza, Dutch media AD reports, citing a statement from Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp.
The move comes as Dutch authorities are pushing for the EU to take tougher measures against Israel, the report said.
“Agreements with the EU need to be honoured, or measures will have to follow,” said a separate statement published by Veldkamp on X, in reference to the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
Good step, although it's still just more words. They weren't planning on visiting The Netherlands anyway. The ICC needs to issue arrest warrants for these 2 and many more.
https://paxforpeace.nl/news/petition-arms-embargo-israel-presented-to-dutch-parliament/
Where is that arms embargo...
https://www.jurist.org/news/2025/06/netherlands-dispatch-proposed-dutch-embargo-on-israel-raises-concerns-over-conditional-human-rights-framework/
Denied...
Freedom Flotilla says US activist Chris Smalls assaulted in Israeli custody
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) says US labour activist Chris Smalls has been physically assaulted in Israeli custody.
“Seven uniformed individuals … choked him and kicked him in the legs, leaving visible signs of violence on his neck and back,” the FFC said in a post on social media.
“When his lawyer met with him, Christian was surrounded by six members of Israel’s special police unit. This level of force was not used against other abducted activists,” the group said.
FFC condemned the “discriminatory treatment” towards Smalls and called for accountability.
Smalls, the former president of Amazon Labor Union, was one of the 21 activists and journalists from 10 countries on board the Handala when it was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters as it approached Gaza.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DMrNsBiMTOj
Christian Smalls is an American labor organizer known for his role in leading Amazon worker organization in Staten Island, a borough in New York City. He is a co-founder and the former president of the Amazon Labor Union.
