With the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Gaza Strip and the international response to it, new lows have been reached this past year in humanitarian, political, and moral terms, and in terms of international law. The large-scale human suffering, the situation in the West Bank, which has deteriorated further, and the polarising impact on our own society have prompted the Advisory Council on International Affairs (Adviesraad Internationale Vraagstukken, AIV) to prepare this Advisory Letter for you. The further regional escalations in Lebanon, and between Iran and Israel, as well as the geopolitical consequences of the course this conflict is taking, have only added to the urgency behind this Advisory Letter.
It has now become clear that external international pressure is required in order to bring about de-escalation and conflict resolution, but thus far such pressure has, for the most part, been lacking. In this Advisory Letter, the AIV...
Show moreWith the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Gaza Strip and the international response to it, new lows have been reached this past year in humanitarian, political, and moral terms, and in terms of international law. The large-scale human suffering, the situation in the West Bank, which has deteriorated further, and the polarising impact on our own society have prompted the Advisory Council on International Affairs (Adviesraad Internationale Vraagstukken, AIV) to prepare this Advisory Letter for you. The further regional escalations in Lebanon, and between Iran and Israel, as well as the geopolitical consequences of the course this conflict is taking, have only added to the urgency behind this Advisory Letter.
It has now become clear that external international pressure is required in order to bring about de-escalation and conflict resolution, but thus far such pressure has, for the most part, been lacking. In this Advisory Letter, the AIV considers how the Netherlands, with the relatively modest resources it has available for this purpose, might recalibrate its policy so that it can contribute effectively to de-escalation and conflict resolution, and to efforts to contain the current spiral of violence, including at the regional level, and can counter the violations of international law, including international humanitarian law (IHL), and human rights that have been associated with this conflict.
To this end, the AIV is proposing a recalibration of the strategic policy considerations on this issue, and is making specific recommendations with a view to achieving a more effective policy at the national and European Union (EU) levels, to creating a regional context that is stable over the long term, to ensuring consistent compliance with international law, and to taking steps that will revitalise the process towards a two-state solution.
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