Dutch Support Palestinians as Thousands Flood Amsterdam Streets in Red
A huge “red line” march in the Netherlands calls on the government to act against Israel and end weapons sales.
Dutch – (Special Correspondent/Web Desk) – Dutch Support Palestinians in a big way, as tens of thousands of people dressed in red filled the streets of Amsterdam on Sunday. They gathered to speak out against the ongoing violence in Gaza.
Many marchers held signs that read “Stop the Genocide.” Organizers say about 200,000 people joined the “red line” protest. They want the Dutch government to take real action against Israel.
Steven Eisinger, a 33-year-old robotics engineer from the United States, was among the crowd. He wore a red scarf and told AFP that countries should stop sending weapons to Israel.
Eisinger said he is Jewish and has family living in Israel. Even so, he said he stands with Palestinians and is against genocide.
A fragile ceasefire between Hamas and Israel began in October last year. It followed two years of war, which started after Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Still, life in Gaza remains very hard. The humanitarian crisis continues, and Israeli strikes happen often. In the occupied West Bank, settler violence against Palestinians has also grown.
The Netherlands has not recognized the state of Palestine. Other European countries, such as France and Belgium, have already done so.
Prime Minister Rob Jetten joined a similar protest in 2025, when he was a candidate for parliament. On Friday, he told reporters it would now be “inappropriate” for him to take part.
At the end of September, the Dutch government banned products from Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories. International law considers these settlements illegal.
In response, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar cancelled the accreditation of Dutch diplomats.
The Netherlands has also pulled out of the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest. Public broadcaster NPO said Israel’s participation is a “sensitive” issue.
Sunday’s march shows how strongly many people in the country feel about the war and its toll on civilians.
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