Foreign Ministry warns Israelis flying to Netherlands of "lengthy and offensive" customs inspections

The Foreign Ministry is warning Israelis planning to fly to the Netherlands of lengthy and "offensive" customs inspections of their luggage, following a new order that took effect September 22 banning the import of products from Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights.

According to the Foreign Ministry statement, the Dutch order makes importing goods from those areas a criminal offense, potentially resulting in fines and prison sentences. The Foreign Ministry said recent reports have been received of customs inspections of luggage of passengers arriving in the Netherlands on flights from Israel.

According to the new guidelines, the ban applies to items in suitcases for personal use or as gifts, and travelers must be able to prove their origin. Importing a product from Judea and Samaria or the Golan Heights can result in fines and in serious cases even a sentence of up to six years in prison.

The Foreign Ministry said the reports are being reviewed to determine the scope of inspections and how the order is being implemented in practice, and that "the Israeli government views the move seriously and has taken retaliatory measures." The Foreign Ministry and Israel's embassy in The Hague said they will continue monitoring developments and updating the public.

According to the report, among retaliatory measures, the diplomatic status of Dutch representatives in Ramallah was revoked, and in late August two Dutch security-diplomatic representatives working at the Coordination Office in Gaza Strip were expelled. Jerusalem is concerned not only about direct economic harm but also the possibility that other countries will adopt similar measures.