Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced on Sunday that Israel is revoking the diplomatic credentials of Dutch officials operating in Ramallah. This decision serves as a direct response to the Dutch government’s recent policy to ban goods originating from Israeli settlements in the West Bank. According to Sa’ar, the Netherlands justified its trade restrictions by citing an 'international legal obligation' to address the status of these settlements.

Under the new Israeli directive, Dutch diplomats stationed in Ramallah must return their Israeli-issued diplomatic documentation within a seven-day window. Once this period expires, the individuals will lose the diplomatic privileges and immunities typically afforded to them by the Israeli government. The Dutch government has not yet issued a formal public response to the revocation, nor have they detailed the specific legal framework they are using to justify the settlement trade ban. The situation highlights the ongoing diplomatic friction between Israel and European nations regarding the status of West Bank settlements, which are considered illegal under international law by many countries, a position Israel disputes.