Last Thursday, October 12, PAX initiated a petition to call on the government not to give Israel a carte blanche. Various civil society organizations and more than 28,000 people signed this petition in just a few days. Yesterday, PAX Director Rolien Sasse, together with a broad coalition of signatories, presented the petition to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Our call to the government to urge Israel to respect international law seems to be heard in the language of the government and the House of Representatives. That is a good start. Activism works. But now is the time to turn words into action. The cycle of violence must now be broken to prevent more civilian casualties.
The Secretary-General of Foreign Affairs received the petition on behalf of the Minister. We once again call for action to follow words: what will the Dutch government do to break the cycle of violence? In our view, it is clear: the Netherlands must take the lead in Europe and internationally to enable de-escalation and an immediate ceasefire. That’s why we will continue to apply pressure and closely monitor the situation.