According to the organization behind the Red Line protest, 150,000 people gathered on the Malieveld in The Hague on Sunday afternoon. They are demonstrating in a protest march towards the Peace Palace against the cabinet’s policy regarding Israel and Gaza.
The program of the protest started around 1 p.m. Speeches are being held. The demonstrators are all wearing red clothing. This symbolizes the red line they want to draw from the Malieveld to the Peace Palace and back. The protesters are done with the cabinet’s policy regarding Israel. They believe that the cabinet is not doing enough about the violence that Israel inflicts on the Palestinians.
The first participants in the march left shortly after 1:30 p.m. They carry signs and banners with texts such as “No bombs on babies“, “Stop this mass murder of innocent civilians”, “Complete arms embargo against Israel” and “Dick Schoof is pushing the red line further and further, shame!” There are also many Palestinian flags.
According to the ANP reporter, it is a mixed group of demonstrators, from young to old. The police tell NU.nl that the march is proceeding peacefully and calmly.
Protest march follows earlier march a month ago
Several (aid) organizations, including Amnesty International, Save the Children and Oxfam Novib, had called for the action. On May 18, there was also a Red Line demonstration. According to the organizations behind the demonstration, at least 100,000 people participated at that time.
The organizations are asking the Dutch government to draw a clear line. “Stop political, economic and military support to Israel as long as it blocks access to aid and is guilty of war crimes and structural human rights violations in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian Territories.”
The government has repeatedly emphasized that Israel has the right to self-defense. The country should be able to defend itself against terrorism. However, the cabinet is expressing itself more and more firmly, but sanctions have not yet been imposed.
Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp spoke of disproportionate violence last month. The cabinet also threatened to block collaborations with Israel if no investigation is carried out into human rights violations. But the demonstrators don’t think that’s enough.