Dutch Diplomats Resign Over Double Standards in Israel Policy

Angelique Eijpe and Berber van der Woude, who served at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, resigned in protest of their government's support for Israel and silence on violations in Palestine. Both diplomats mentioned that senior officials at the Ministry ignored the severity of the situation in Palestine. Eijpe, who served as a Research Program Coordinator at the Ministry, stated that she ended her 21-year career in November due to the support for genocide in Israel post-October 7, 2023. Eijpe expressed her concerns about the government's policy towards Israel, citing the lack of change in the policy as a reason for her resignation. Van der Woude, who served at the Dutch diplomatic mission in Ramallah from 2019-2021, also resigned prior to October 7, 2023, triggered by an incident where an autistic individual, Iyad Hallak, was shot and killed by Israeli border police in the Old City during a COVID-19 quarantine. Both diplomats highlighted the need for accountability and the growing sense of shame in Western societies regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.