- Jews protest with Palestinians
- Demonstrators oppose Herzog’s visit
- Museum opens amid protests
Protesting alongside pro-Palestinian individuals, Jews engaged in dissent against Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the inauguration of a novel Holocaust museum.
Eggs were hurled, and fireworks were set ablaze as pro-Palestinian demonstrators congregated in Amsterdam to celebrate the opening of the National Holocaust Museum.
The visit of the Israeli president to Amsterdam’s recently inaugurated National Holocaust Museum has incited demonstrations throughout the city.
In Waterloo Square, central Amsterdam, thousands of demonstrators were overheard chanting “ceasefire now” and “never again is now” in the vicinity of the museum, which hosted an opening ceremony on Sunday and invited notables such as Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
In addition, they carried Palestinian flags and banners bearing the inscriptions “Jews opposed to genocide” and “Stop the Gaza Holocaust, says the grandson of a Holocaust survivor.”
In collaboration with the Dutch Palestinian Community and Socialists International, the anti-Zionist organization Erev Rave and the human rights organization Amnesty International erected diversion signs around the museum to guide Mr. Herzog to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
The protest organizers ensured that their focus was on the conflict in Gaza and the presence of Mr. Herzog rather than the museum itself and the historical artifacts it honors.
Addressing the gathering prior to the ceremony, Joana Cavaco, an anti-war activist affiliated with the Erev Rav Jewish collective, stated, “For us Jews, these museums are a part of our history, our past.”
How is it feasible that a space of this magnitude is currently being utilized to legitimize genocide?
The Rights Forum, a Dutch organization that supports Palestine, characterized Mr. Herzog’s attendance as “a slap in the face to the Palestinians, who can do nothing but watch helplessly as Israel destroys their land and murders their loved ones.”
At the museum’s inauguration, Mr. Herzog expressed the following: “Esteemed guests, I wish to extend my sincere appreciation to all who have contributed to the funding of this novel Holocaust museum. Amidst this critical juncture, this establishment issues a resolute and impactful invitation: bear in mind.
“Recall the atrocities that hatred, antisemitism, and bigotry have produced. And prevent them from ever again flourishing. Sadly, “never again” is the present moment. Because bigotry and antisemitism are currently thriving on a global scale, and we must combat them collectively.”
In his address, the Israeli president made no mention of the protests, and a presidential spokesperson declined to comment on the matter.
Mr. Herzog was one of several Israeli leaders named in an earlier this year order from the highest court of the United Nations urging Israel to make every effort to avert death, devastation, and acts of genocide in Gaza.
In its January judgment, he claimed the International Court of Justice misrepresented his remarks. Israel categorically denied South Africa’s courtroom allegations that its military operation in Gaza violates the Genocide Convention.
Mr. Herzog stated days after the ruling, “I was abhorred by the manner in which they manipulated my words by paraphrasing and fragmenting quotes in an attempt to bolster an unfounded legal argument.”
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The museum’s operator, the Jewish Cultural Quarter, issued a statement prior to Sunday’s opening in which it expressed “deep concern over the war and its repercussions, most notably for the people of Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank.”
It was stated that the opening of the National Holocaust Museum “while the war continues to rage is all the more troubling.” “Our mission becomes even more urgent as a result.”
The museum is situated in a former teacher training college that served as an undercover pathway for approximately 600 Jewish children to evade Nazi capture.
According to the health ministry in Gaza, which Hamas operates, the Israeli military offensive since the October 7 Hamas attacks has claimed the lives of over 31,000 Palestinians.
Although the ministry has faced allegations of number inflation from Israel, its figures have withstood scrutiny from the United Nations, independent investigations, and even Israel’s calculations during previous conflicts.
