Israel revokes accreditation of Dutch diplomats in Ramallah following settlement import ban

Revocation of diplomatic status

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar announced on 27 September 2026 that Israel is revoking the accreditation of Dutch diplomats representing their country in the Palestinian territories. The Israeli Foreign Ministry informed the Dutch embassy that personnel operating from the Representative Office of the Netherlands in Ramallah have seven days to return their Israeli-issued diplomatic documents. Once the seven-day period expires, diplomatic privileges and immunities granted to the envoys by the state of Israel will terminate. Sa'ar stated that Dutch officials must conduct their business strictly from Palestinian Authority territory rather than under Israeli accreditation.

If the Netherlands wishes to continue representing its interests with the Palestinians, it may do so from Palestinian Authority territory, rather than from the territory of the State of Israel.

Trade ban triggers dispute

The diplomatic countermeasure follows a Dutch trade prohibition that took effect on 22 September 2026. Under the Dutch regulation, first announced in July 2026, companies and individuals are barred from importing, purchasing, or selling goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights. The Dutch government adopted the policy because it considers settlements in occupied territory unlawful under international law. Dutch customs authorities have applied the restriction to commercial trade as well as personal luggage arriving with passengers at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Bilateral trade between the Netherlands and Israel reached approximately $4.8 billion last year, with the Netherlands serving as a key European hub for settlement agricultural exports according to the legal group Global Echo.

Escalating diplomatic friction

The accreditation withdrawal follows earlier disputes between the two governments over Middle East policy. In August 2026, Israeli authorities expelled the Dutch delegation from the multinational Gaza ceasefire coordination center in Kiryat Gat after the Dutch cabinet confirmed its legislative plans against settlement trade. Sa'ar reaffirmed that Israel would continue to apply punitive administrative measures against foreign governments that enact trade restrictions against settlement enterprises.

Last month, we removed the Dutch delegation from the International Support Center for Gaza in Kiryat Gat, following actions taken by the Dutch Government against Israel. I reiterate: Israel will not ignore measures intended to harm it. Any country that acts in a hostile and unilateral manner against Israel will lose influence and relevance in the region.

Wider European measures and international reaction

The confrontation between Israel and the Netherlands occurs alongside similar actions taken by other Western nations. Earlier in September 2026, the United Kingdom, France, and Canada introduced sanctions and restrictions on trade tied to Israeli settlements. Israel responded to the British government by ordering the closure of the British consulate in Jerusalem, removing British staff from the Gaza center, and halting British training operations for Palestinian Authority security forces. The settlement policies remain contested across the West Bank, where roughly 500,000 Israeli settlers live alongside between 2.7 million and 3 million Palestinians. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee criticized the Dutch import restrictions on social media, pointing to luggage inspections conducted on returning church visitors.