Hundreds of thousands join Amsterdam’s ‘Red Line’ protest against Israel

What the report says

More than 200,000 people marched in Amsterdam on Sunday in a “Red Line” protest focused on Israel’s war on Gaza, according to the Dutch branch of Amnesty International, one of the event’s organisers, as reported by Al Jazeera. Demonstrators gathered in and around Museum Square and moved through streets closed to traffic, with many wearing red clothing and chanting in support of Palestinians. Their main demands were stricter trade limits on Israel and an end to all arms sales.

Al Jazeera reported that the protest was aimed at pressing the Dutch government to take stronger action over its economic and military ties with Israel. Some participants said they felt authorities were not doing enough, while others called for a harder line against what they described as the devastation in Gaza. The demonstration was broadly similar to earlier Red Line rallies held in Amsterdam and The Hague.

The march took place against the backdrop of continued international controversy over the war. Al Jazeera noted that relations between the Netherlands and Israel have been strained, including after the Dutch government introduced an import ban on goods from Israeli settlements. Prime Minister Rob Jetten, who joined a previous march but was absent this time, said on Friday that his government was increasing political and diplomatic pressure on Israel to meet its Gaza commitments. The protest matters because it reflects mounting public pressure in the Netherlands for tighter measures on Israel and a more forceful response to the war.