While the Dutch government has imposed an import ban on goods from Judea and Samaria, confirmed by a court this week, the Dutch people are sending a contrary message: thousands of Christians gathered on Thursday evening at the historic Dam Square in Amsterdam, unfurled a giant Israeli flag, and declared their solidarity with the Jewish state.
Hartverwarmend! Nederlandse vrienden van Israël laten van zich horen op de Dam in Amsterdam. Namens iedereen in Israël: toda raba 💙🇮🇱🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/cvJkm8uxg9
— Israel in Nederland (@IsraelinNL) September 17, 2026
“You are sending a message of truth”
The Israeli Ambassador to the Netherlands, Zvi Vapni, thanked the participants in a video message played on the square’s stage — “despite rain and wind,” as he emphasized. “What you are doing here tonight is extraordinary — and I bow before you all. You are sending a message of truth over lies, of courage over fear. You are sending the message: ‘We stand together because we know the truth.'”
The Israeli Embassy in The Hague published images and videos of the rally on X with the words “Hartverwarmend!” — heartwarming — and thanked “our Dutch friends of Israel” with the Hebrew expression “Toda Raba.”
Despite the rain and wind, our amazing Christian friends didn’t back down—they rolled out our flag in Dam Square in Amsterdam yesterday.
We thank them for their support and salute their unwavering commitment! pic.twitter.com/tPhZZlUU6o
— Amb. Zvi A. Vapni (@vapni) September 18, 2026
Dutch Boycott Hits Israel — Israel Responds with Consequences
The rally comes at a politically sensitive moment: The Hague court dismissed on Wednesday the lawsuits filed by the Israel Product Center and the European Jewish Association against the Dutch import boycott on goods from Judea and Samaria as well as the Golan Heights. The boycott takes effect on September 22 — deliberate violations are considered a criminal offense and can be punished with up to six years in prison or a fine of up to 103,000 euros.
Israel has already responded to the boycott: Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar ordered the Netherlands to be removed from the US-led International Gaza Support Center (IGSC) in Kiryat Gat — a coordination center for humanitarian aid in Gaza. A direct consequence that shows Jerusalem will not accept the Dutch move without repercussions.
The images from Amsterdam’s Dam Square, however, show the other face of the Netherlands — that of a country where thousands of people, despite bad weather and despite a government policy that targets Israel, stand up and say: We are on your side.
