Netherlands Labels Israel 'Threat To National Security' In Unprecedented Move

Gulf Insider

6 days ago

The Netherlands has, for the first time, included Israel on a list of states which pose a threat to its national security, according to a report from the Dutch National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism (NCTV) – the country's main counterterrorism agency.
The report bears the title Assessment of Threats from State Actors. It notes that Israel has made efforts to manipulate and influence public opinion and policy in the Netherlands, via disinformation campaigns.
According to the Dutch report, an Israeli ministry circulated a document to journalists and officials in the Netherlands last year, which included personal details of Dutch citizens.
This took place after fans of the Israeli football team Maccabi Tel Aviv carried out provocative acts after their team lost a match in Amsterdam in November 2024, triggering tension and clashes with locals.
The report by the Dutch agency also noted concerns over threats against the International Criminal Court at The Hague, from both Washington and Tel Aviv. It said these threats could negatively affect the court's work.
Israel has long posed a threat to the ICC. According to a report by The Guardian from May last year, Tel Aviv has waged a years-long intimidation campaign against the ICC, which included the 'stalking' and 'threatening' of its officials in a bid to stifle investigations into Israeli war crimes.
Since the court issued arrest warrants against Israel's premier and former defense minister last year, Washington has imposed sanctions on the ICC. Israel and the US are not signatories of the 1998 Rome Statute nor members of the ICC.
The American Servicemembers' Protection Act of 2002, nicknamed the 'Hague Invasion Act,' authorizes a US president to use 'all means necessary and appropriate' to free any US or allied personnel detained by the ICC. This includes the potential use of military force. The law also restricts US cooperation with and support for the ICC.
The Dutch Assessment of Threats from State Actors notes that the Netherlands has a 'special responsibility' to protect the operations of the international legal institutions it hosts.
While the NCTV has previously listed Israeli spyware as a concern, this latest report does not include Israel in its espionage section.
Israeli spyware has infected the devices of millions across the planet, including journalists and activists. It has also been used as a tool for targeted assassinations.