Protests over Israeli leader Herzog’s presence at Dutch Holocaust Museum | Israel War on Gaza News

Hundreds of protesters display in Amsterdam towards Israel’s struggle on Gaza.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has attended the opening of the Nationwide Holocaust Museum in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, the place his presence prompted protests over Israel’s struggle in Gaza.

The opening befell on Sunday as pro-Palestine demonstrators chanted “By no means once more is now” and “Ceasefire now” close to a sq. near the museum.

Hundreds of protesters demonstrated towards Israel’s war on Gaza, which has killed greater than 31,000 folks since October, in keeping with Palestinian well being authorities. Israel launched the assault after Hamas, the Palestinian armed group that governs Gaza, led an assault on Israel on October 7, killing at the least 1,139 folks, in keeping with an Al Jazeera tally based mostly on official Israeli statistics.

Human rights group Amnesty Worldwide put up detour indicators across the new museum to direct Herzog to the Worldwide Courtroom of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague. In January, South Africa introduced a case towards Israel on the ICJ over allegations it was committing genocide in Gaza. A ultimate ruling may take years, however the court docket ordered a number of provisional instructions, together with an order for Israel to stop acts of genocide.

Nazi persecution

The Holocaust museum showcases the tales of the 102,000 Jews who have been deported from the Netherlands and murdered in Nazi camps, in addition to their persecution underneath German World Conflict II occupation.

Three-quarters of Dutch Jews have been among the many six million Jews systematically murdered by the Nazis.

“This museum reveals us what devastating penalties anti-Semitism can have,” mentioned Dutch King Willem-Alexander at a gathering at a close-by synagogue.

Dutch Jewish anti-Zionist organisation Erev Rave, which organised the demonstrations on the musuem’s opening with the Dutch Palestinian group and Socialist Worldwide, mentioned that whereas it is very important honour the reminiscence of Holocaust victims, it can’t stand by whereas the struggle in Gaza continues.

“For us Jews, these museums are a part of our historical past, of our previous,” mentioned Joana Cavaco, an activist with Erev Rav, addressing the gang earlier than the museum’s opening ceremony. “How is it attainable that such a sacred house is getting used to normalise genocide immediately?”

A professional-Palestinian Dutch organisation, The Rights Discussion board, known as Herzog‘s presence “a slap within the face of the Palestinians who can solely helplessly watch how Israel murders their family members and destroys their land”.

In an announcement earlier than the museum’s opening, the Jewish Cultural Quarter that runs the museum mentioned it’s “profoundly involved by the struggle and the implications this battle has had, in the beginning for the residents of Israel, Gaza and the West Financial institution”.

It added that it’s “all of the extra troubling that the Nationwide Holocaust Museum is opening whereas struggle continues to rage. It makes our mission all of the extra pressing.”

The museum instructed the media that it had invited Herzog earlier than the occasions of October 7. It mentioned in an announcement that it recognised that Herzog’s attendance was controversial, however that he represents the nation the place Dutch Holocaust survivors migrated to.

Herzog’s remarks that not solely armed teams however “a whole nation” was answerable for the October 7 assault and that Israel will battle “till we break their spine” have been cited by South Africa in its ICJ lawsuit towards Israel.

Herzog has mentioned his feedback have been misrepresented, and solely a part of what he mentioned was cited to be able to construct a case towards Israel within the ICJ.

The Israeli chief mentioned the museum despatched “a transparent and highly effective assertion: keep in mind, keep in mind the horrors born of hatred, anti-Semitism and racism and by no means once more permit them to flourish”.