Israel's Herzog to open Holocaust museum in Amsterdam amid protest
Israeli President faces protest at Holocaust Museum opening amidst Gaza conflict. Dutch Jewish group expresses concerns over his attendance.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog is to attend the opening of the National Holocaust Museum in Amsterdam on Sunday amid a planned protest against Israel's ongoing war in Gaza. The museum told media that it had invited Herzog before the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and Israel's subsequent offensive in Gaza.
The museum said in a statement it recognized that Herzog's attendance raised questions but added that he represented the homeland of Dutch Holocaust survivors who emigrated to Israel.
"We express our deep concern regarding the upcoming opening of the Dutch National Holocaust Museum, where Israeli President Herzog is scheduled to attend," the Dutch Jewish anti-zionist organization Erev Rav said. It is organizing a protest with the Dutch Palestinian Community and Socialist International. It added that while it honors the memory of Holocaust victims, it could not stand by while the war in Gaza continued.
Nicaragua last week applied with the International Court of Justice to join South Africa in its accusation of genocide by Israel against Palestinians.
Some of Herzog's remarks have been cited by South Africa in its lawsuit. He has previously said that not only militants but "an entire nation" was responsible for the October 7 attack on Israel and that Israel will fight "until we break their backbone."
Israeli officials were not immediately available for comment on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath.
Tragic tale of conflict
Germany killed six million Jews during the Holocaust, which took place during World War Two. Modern Israel was founded in 1948 as a haven for the Jewish people who felt that Europe was not safe for them anymore.
The Gaza war was triggered by the October 7 attack by Hamas on southern Israel, in which 1,200 people were killed and 253 taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies. Gaza's health ministry said on Saturday at least 30,960 Palestinians have been killed and 72,524 wounded in Israel's retaliatory offensive.
Dutch King Willem-Alexander is set to meet Herzog on Sunday. Prime Minister Mark Rutte will also attend the opening.
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