Foreign affairs minister Uri Rosenthal wants to strengthen economic ties with Israel. But with the Israeli parliament rushing through one anti-democratic law after another, should he really be so keen?, asks Jaap Hamburger, chairman of Een Ander Joods Geluid (A Different Jewish Voice).

In parliament last week, Uri Rosenthal announced that his 2012 foreign policy will include efforts to strengthen economic ties with Israel. Rosenthal pointed to the sustained campaign to ‘delegitimize’ the state of Israel to justify further Dutch support.
What the minister doesn’t seem to realise is that it is current Israeli government policy itself that is most actively contributing to this ‘campaign’. Prime minister Netanyahu and his government should not be rewarded by tightening relations with the Netherlands. It would be much better for the long term interests of Israel to take a firm and clear stance on their anti-democratic legislature and continued attempts to frustrate the peace process.
Last week parliament discussed the foreign ministry’s budget. The relationship between the Netherlands and Israel took centre stage as the cabinet supports Netanyahu’s policies almost without exception. But to support the Israeli government is different from getting behind its every policy, an approach which leaves no room for the Palestinian cause.
Coma
The Dutch efforts to awaken the ‘peace process’ from its profound coma, to end the occupation of Palestinian territory and work towards a bipartite state have not gone beyond empty rhetoric. Rosenthal’s proposals to strengthen economic ties shows a lack of insight in the political reality in the region. The Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory will be entering its 46th year in 2012 and prospects of its ending any time soon to enable the creation of a Palestinian state have rarely been more remote. Building in the settlements is continuing apace and the Israeli government is dominated by parties and politicians who have neither a material nor an ideological interest to put a stop to it.
Pressure
Another factor is that public debate in Israeli society as well as the democratic rule of law have been under enormous and unprecedented pressure since Netanyahu came to power in 2009. This development is closely linked to the continuing and ever more implacable occupation. Parliament is rushing through legislation that is highly anti-democratic in character. It is aimed at the Palestinian minority in Israel, and at organisations critical of government policy and human rights organisations alike.
Freedom of speech and public opinion, the freedom to lobby for financial and other types of opposition support, the freedom to organise protest movements, all of these are being restricted more and more. The authorities are actively promoting a climate in which criticism equals treason.
Withdrawal
If Rosenthal is truly as concerned for Israel as he professes to be, he should realise that better economic relations with Israel is the last thing the country needs. The survival of Israel as a democratic state which respects human rights demands first and foremost the definitive withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian territories. The Netanyahu government has not shown the slightest intention of doing so and should not be rewarded.
The Dutch government, regardless of the anti-democratic developments, is determined to stroke and pet Israel, primarily for ideological reasons and also for mutual economic gain. But what is needed is a Dutch policy which makes clear that the long term interests of Israel are best served with a strengthening of democratic values, not a pat on the shoulder for weakening them. Both Israel and the Palestinians would benefit from such a stance.
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