. . HUMAN RIGHTS . .
An article from Reuters (reprinted by permission)
Tens of thousands of protesters marched through The Hague on Sunday (May 18) demanding a tougher stance from the Dutch government against Israel’s war in Gaza.
Organiser Oxfam Novib said around 100,000 protesters had joined the march, most dressed in red expressing their desire for a “red line” against Israel’s siege on Gaza, where it has cut off medical, food and fuel supplies.
Video on Instagram
The march also passed the seat of the International Court of Justice, which is hearing a case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide and last year ordered Israel to halt a military assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
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How can war crimes be documented, stopped, punished and prevented?
How can a culture of peace be established in the Middle East?
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Israel dismisses accusations of genocide as baseless and has argued in court that its operations in Gaza are self defence and targeted at Hamas militants who attacked Israel on Oct. 7.
Oxfam Novib said the Dutch government had ignored what it said were war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza, and urged protesters to demand a tougher line.
Dutch Foreign Affairs minister Caspar Veldkamp earlier this month said he wanted the EU to reconsider cooperation agreements it has with Israel.
But the Dutch government has so far refrained from harsher criticism, and the leader of the largest party in the government coalition, anti-Muslim populist Geert Wilders, has repeatedly voiced unwavering support for Israel.
Wilders called Sunday’s protesters “confused” and accused them in a post on X of supporting Hamas.
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