The Netherlands is in the midst of buying hundreds of millions of dollars of military equipment from Israel while siding with states that want to review whether the Jewish state should keep its preferred trading status and scientific cooperation with the European Union (EU) due to its conduct of the war in Gaza.

Globes reported Thursday that The Netherlands is one of the countries taking the lead in calling to “open for discussion” whether Israel is adhering to the provisions of its Association Agreement with the European bloc, which include “respect for human rights.”

Several EU countries have voiced growing concern over Jerusalem’s March decision to block humanitarian aid from reaching the Strip in order to pressure Hamas into releasing the 58 hostages left of the 251 it grabbed during its surprise invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023, when the Gazan terrorists massacred 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals, sparking the current war.

While the Netherlands blocked a similar move last year led by anti-Israel Spain and Ireland, among others, it is now talking differently.

“We are sending a message to Israel and taking a clear step,” said Dutch foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp.

Citing the alleged “catastrophic situation in Gaza,” he said, “We must set a red line.”

Shortly after this announcement, Finland, France and others joined the call.

The Netherlands announced last week that it was purchasing 46 German Leopard tanks that will be shielded by an active protective system that it did not name but looked exactly like Rafael’s product in a published simulation.

Each Trophy system costs $700,000, which would mean $32 million for the Israeli manufacturer.

This came on top of a September order for a large number of Rafael’s Spike LR2 long-range, anti-tank missiles.

In January, the Dutch contracted with Israel’s Elbit for $175 million worth of protective systems for its aircraft and helicopters, after having ordered the company’s communications systems for fighters and command and control systems in 2024 in a deal worth tens of millions of dollars.

All in all, the Dutch have reportedly ordered some $2 billion in Israeli weaponry over the last five years.

Image - WIN/Rafael