More than 200,000 people took to the streets of Amsterdam on Sunday, in one of the largest pro-Palestine demonstrations in the Netherlands, demanding an end to Dutch economic and military ties with Israel.
The demonstration, organised under the banner of the 'Red Line' movement, saw huge crowds dressed in red march through the Dutch capital, with Museum Square filled with protesters carrying Palestinian flags and placards. The Dutch branch of Amnesty International, one of the organisers, estimated that more than 200,000 people had attended.
Under the theme 'No Money for Genocide', demonstrators called on the Dutch government to impose tougher trade restrictions on Israel, halt all arms sales and formally recognise Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide. Chants of 'Free, free Palestine' echoed through the crowds as protesters called on the government of failing to take meaningful action.
The demonstration follows previous Red Line mobilisations, including a major march in The Hague last June and another in October last year. The latest protest comes despite growing diplomatic tensions between the Netherlands and Israel, following the Dutch government's decision to ban imports from Israeli settlements.
The Netherlands' previous foreign minister resigned last year after failing to secure further sanctions against Israel. Prime Minister Rob Jetten, who participated in an earlier Red Line demonstration but did not attend Sunday's march, defended his government's approach, saying it was applying greater political and diplomatic pressure on Israel.
The scale of Sunday's demonstration sends a clear message that public demands for action over Palestine remain a major issue in the Netherlands, with hundreds of thousands taking to the streets to demand that their government go beyond diplomatic statements.
