ISRAEL REVOKES DUTCH DIPLOMATS' STATUS OVER SETTLEMENT GOODS BAN

Israel has revoked the diplomatic status of Dutch diplomats at the Netherlands' representative office in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, the Israeli foreign ministry said. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar announced the move on Sunday, saying the diplomats had seven days to return their Israel-issued documentation. He said the step was a response to a Dutch ban on imports from Israeli settlements, which took effect on 22 September. "Israel will not ignore measures intended to harm it," Sa'ar said, adding that countries acting "in a hostile and unilateral manner against Israel will lose influence and relevance in the region."

The West Bank and East Jerusalem are widely viewed as illegally occupied under international law. Sa'ar said Israel had removed a Dutch delegation from the International Support Centre for Gaza in Kiryat Gat last month, citing earlier Dutch action against Israel. Canada and France recognised a Palestinian state last year; the Netherlands has not done so. Britain, Canada and France banned goods from occupied Palestinian territory earlier this month, after Israel opened tenders in August for 1,234 housing units under its E1 development project.

Yair Lapid, Israel's opposition leader and a former prime minister, criticised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling the episode "a diplomatic failure" after Israelis arriving in the Netherlands had their luggage searched for settlement goods. He said better diplomatic management could restore the country's international standing. Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen said he regretted the "unnecessary" decision, adding that Dutch measures stemmed from an obligation not to contribute to what he called unlawful settlements, and that the Netherlands was considering its response. Carne Ross, a former senior British diplomat and founder of Independent Diplomat, said the expulsion was not particularly significant.