From: The Times of Israel May 17, 2025

Iran has long considered the US military presence in the region as a threat on its doorstep, especially after Trump pulled the US out of a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran in 2018 and reimposed crippling sanctions.

Khamenei also criticized Trump for perpetuating a model for the Gulf Arab states that kept them dependent on the United States.

“The president of America proposed a model to these Arab countries, a model which, according to his own words, implies that without the United States, these countries would not be able to last for even 10 days.

“Even now, through their dealings, their behavior, and their proposals, the Americans continue to promote and impose this very same model, a model designed to make these countries dependent, so they cannot exist without US support,” Khamenei said.

“This model is undoubtedly a failed one.”

Nuclear talks to go ahead — Despite Khamenei’s rhetoric, Iran’s president said, his country:
1. will continue talks with the US over its rapidly advancing nuclear program
2. but will not give up its rights because of US threats.

President Masoud Pezeshkian said during a speech to navy officials broadcast by state television Saturday:
1. “We are negotiating, and we will negotiate, we are not after war but we do not fear any threat,”
2. “It is not like that they think if they threaten us , we will give up our human right and definite right,”
3. “We will not withdraw, we will not easily loose honorable military, scientific, nuclear in all fields.”

Trump has repeatedly threatened to unleash airstrikes targeting Iran’s program if a deal isn’t reached. Iranian officials increasingly warn they could pursue a nuclear weapon with their stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.

On Friday, Trump said Iran received a proposal during the talks, though he did not elaborate.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the nuclear talks with the United States are being delayed because Washington frequently changes its stance.

During his trip to the region this week, Trump at nearly every event insisted Iran would not be allowed to obtain the bomb.

Israel views Iran — which repeatedly calls for its destruction — as an existential threat and has vowed to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

From: The Jerusalem Post May 17, 2025
US President Donald Trump not frustrated with Netanyahu, says Gulf leaders to help rebuild Gaza.

Iran was "stone-cold broke, and they weren’t giving money to Hamas,” Trump said, arguing that October 7 stemmed from this shift in US policy.

Trump stated on Friday that he is not frustrated with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite recent reports of tension between the two leaders.
His comments came during an interview with Fox News, following his visit to several Gulf states – a tour that notably did not include a stop in the Jewish one.

Trump addressed the ongoing war in Gaza and emphasized the significance of the October 7 attacks, describing the day as “one of the most violent in the history of the world.”

He said Netanyahu is dealing with a difficult situation and referred to the prime minister as “an angry man” who has been “hurt badly” by the events of October 7. He added that Netanyahu has “fought hard and bravely.”

Trump reiterated his longstanding claim that the October 7 attacks would not have occurred during his administration. He blamed the Biden administration’s decision to lift sanctions on Iran for enabling the Islamic Republic to financially support terrorist organizations, including Hamas.

Trump said, arguing that the current situation stems directly from this shift in US policy:
“Iran had no money. They were stone-cold broke, and they weren’t giving money to Hamas,”

I, too reckon, Day 589 It is the polarizing Netanyahu to blame who "has led Israel to the terrible place they are now in” -- Global pariah on the world stage
— Not Biden Not US policy Not Iran, Not the terrorists — Israel of the old when Israeli leaders would never have let, October 7 happen

Commenting on the future of the Gaza Strip, the president repeated his view that the territory is dysfunctional and suggested it should become a “freedom zone,” citing the recurring cycles of violence and Hamas’s continued presence.

Gulf states likely play a role in shaping Gaza's future

Asked whether the Gulf states would be involved in Gaza’s rehabilitation, Trump said that all of the leaders he met during his regional tour would likely play a role in shaping Gaza’s future.

Trump met with:
1. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman,
2. Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas,
3. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun,
4. and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Trump keeping his friends close and Israel's enemies closer

From: FOX News May 17, 2025
Trump’s Middle East trip handed Israel a historic opportunity — if it chooses to act, experts say.

'This is good for Israel,' President Donald Trump insists but experts warn Jerusalem must seize this wave of change or risk being left behind.

As President Donald Trump wrapped up his high-stakes Middle East tour on Friday, many media outlets portrayed his decision to bypass Israel as evidence of a rift with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — He was in the region Why the pointed snub

However, while Air Force One did not land in Israel, experts say Trump’s visit advanced policies that align closely with Israeli interests and presented a strategic opportunity that Jerusalem has yet to seize.

Avner Golov, vice president at MIND Israel and a former senior director of Israel’s National Security Council, told Fox News Digital:
1. "Israel sees a massive wave approaching to sweep across the Middle East — a wave of momentum and change.
2. The decision it faces is whether to ride it or be crushed beneath it."

Throughout the visit, Trump emphasized points that directly reflect Israeli priorities. On Tuesday, he condemned:
1. the October 7 Hamas attacks,
2. called for Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords,
3. and warned Iran over its nuclear ambitions.

On Wednesday, he even extended the normalization initiative to Syria.

When asked aboard Air Force One about skipping Israel, Trump said:
"This is good for Israel. Having a relationship like I have with these countries... I think it's very good."

In Doha on Thursday, Trump went further, stating:
"I want to see [Gaza] be a freedom zone. And if it’s necessary, I think I’d be proud to have the United States have it, take it, make it a freedom zone."

According to two Arab officials quoted by The Times of Israel US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff told mediators in Doha that Washington does not intend to pressure Israel into ending the war in Gaza — aligning with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s firm stance.

On Friday, President Trump was asked in an interview with Fox News Chief political anchor, Bret Baier on Special Report, if he was frustrated with Netanyahu. Trump responded, "No, look, he's got a tough situation.

You have to remember there was an October 7 that everyone forgets, it was one of the most violent days in the history of the world.
Not the Middle East, the world, when you look at the tapes. And the tapes are there for everyone to see."

A readout released on Thursday by the State Department of a call between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Prime Minister Netanyahu, also showed continued support for the Jewish state.

"The Secretary stressed the deep US commitment to its historic relationship with Israel and the ironclad US support for Israeli security," adding
"The Secretary and Prime Minister discussed Syria following President Trump’s historic meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia.

The Secretary and Prime Minister also shared their mutual commitment to make sure Iran never possesses a nuclear weapon."

Channel 12 chief political correspondent Amit Segal told Fox News Digital:
"There is an uncomfortable experience from an Israeli perspective to see Air Force One flying over us on its way to countries, some of which are outright hostile and others semi-hostile.

If you are not at the table, you are on the plate."

"But this isn’t personal. It’s not about Netanyahu and Trump," Segal added. "Trump has full support for Israel — but when American interests come first, he acts accordingly. It’s America First."

Dan Senor, host of the podcast "Call Me Back" and a former state department official, agreed that despite headlines suggesting tension, policy tells a different story.

"There’s always noise in the press," Senor told Dana Perino, co-anchor of Fox News Channel's "America's Newsroom." "But policy right now is very strong. We’re seeing maximum pressure on Iran, no public criticism of Israel — even as dozens of Israeli tanks are positioned near Gaza."

"What I found problematic in past administrations — especially under Obama — was when private criticism became public," Senor added.
"That gave others a green light to pile on Israel. This administration, even if it disagrees, isn’t airing it. And that matters most."

On Friday, in a proclamation marking Jewish Heritage Month, Trump stated:
We will never deviate from our conviction that anti-Semitism has no place in the greatest country in the world.
As the 47th President of the United States, I will use every appropriate legal tool at my disposal to stop anti-Semitic assaults gripping our universities.


Tamir Haiman, former head of Israel’s Military Intelligence and now director of the Institute for National Security Studies, said the Israeli government feared being caught off guard.

Haiman told Fox News Digital:
"This is a player so strong that sometimes, without intending to, he can throw a small player off the field — like a giant who’s spinning and accidentally knocks someone out of his way with his shoulder,"

However, he emphasized that the developments in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Syria are not inherently bad for Israel — unless the government fails to act.

"The missed opportunity here is enormous," he said. "There were two major levers Israel had —
1. Israeli consent to US arms deals with Saudi Arabia
2. and American consent to lifting sanctions on Syria.

Both could have been used to advance key Israeli interests: normalization with Saudi Arabia and ensuring Syria’s development follows a non-jihadist path.
And Israel lost both."

The sense of urgency grew last week when Trump abruptly paused US airstrikes on Iranian-backed Houthis just days after a Houthi missile landed near Ben Gurion Airport.

Reports soon followed that Washington had dropped its demand for Israeli-Saudi normalization as a prerequisite for a US–Saudi nuclear pact — a strategic goal long championed by Netanyahu. Reuters later confirmed the shift.

Meanwhile, Saudi officials made clear that progress on the Palestinian issue remains a prerequisite for any nuclear deal — something seen as unlikely while the war in Gaza continues.

"After the Saudi story, where we were thrown under the bus, I said we need to stop and investigate," Haiman said.
"We shouldn’t just say it’s the president’s whims. We need to ask, ‘What depends on us? What needs to change?’ I’m not sure they’re doing that."

The sharpest potential rift remains Iran. Jerusalem views a nuclear-armed Tehran as an existential threat.
Haiman calls this "a historic window" to stop it, by force if needed.

He said: "The American interest is to finish wars, not enter them and to seal a deal better than Obama’s," warning that a diplomatic track pursued over Israel’s head could soon limit Israeli military options.

Monday’s release of 21-year-old American-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander, freed after direct talks between Washington, Qatar and Hamas, added to some fears of Jerusalem being sidelined. Israel played only a logistical role.

Within Israel, the Gaza war continues to divide strategists over whether to keep pressing Hamas or stop the war for a hostage deal.
Haiman called the current "fight, deal, fight" rhythm "boiling the frog,"

But acknowledges that without a hostage deal now, the 21 living hostages might not survive.

Golov believes it is time for Israel to stop reacting and start shaping events. He urged Jerusalem to push Washington to demand that:
1. "Qatar must stop funding Hamas,
2. stop Al Jazeera’s incitement,
3. and pay a price for interfering inside Israel."

Israel, he argued, does not have the leverage to do that alone.

"It must anchor itself in a regional bloc — with the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan — states that are just as terrified of a Muslim Brotherhood resurgence."
To get there, Israel must climb aboard the wave Trump has already set in motion.

Trump to Israel “Always On My Mind”

You are always on my mind
Maybe I didn't treat you Quite as good as I should have
You are always on my mind

The Jerusalem Post May 15, 2025
Despite skipping Israel, Trump signals strong support through Abraham Accords push

U.S. President Donald Trump stirred concerns over the past week over potentially dwindling support for Israel amid his Middle East tour, during which Israel is not a stopping point. His actions on this trip so far, however, prove that Israel is still on his mind.

Trump’s Middle East tour saw him meeting with leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Lebanon, Syria, and the Palestinian Authority, which in turn was perceived by many an expert and analyst as a slight towards Israel. After all, the U.S.’s supposed greatest ally wasn’t even on the docket.

The news has been focusing primarily on Trump securing a $600 billion commitment from Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to invest in the United States.

The U.S. agreed to sell Saudi Arabia an arms package worth nearly $142 billion in what the White House coined the “largest defense cooperation agreement” ever done by the U.S.

It has also been focusing on Trump’s desire to accept a $400 million airplane from Qatar to use as Air Force One and the recent opposition on both sides of the aisle in Congress.

However, on the sidelines of those same discussions and deliberations, Trump called for countries in the Middle East to join the Abraham Accords.

The Jerusalem Post May 15, 2025

First of all, on Tuesday evening, he said he hoped Saudi Arabia would join the Abraham Accords.
He did point out that they will do so in their own time, but the statement was nevertheless a clear arrow pointing towards Trump’s priority: securing Israel.

That same day, he said he would order the lifting of sanctions on Syria at the behest of Saudi Arabia’s crown prince.

“I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness,” Trump told an investment forum in Riyadh.
“It’s their time to shine. We’re taking them all off... Good luck, Syria, show us something very special.”

Then, the following day, when Trump met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, he urged him to sign the Abraham Accords with Israel.

Trump told the Syrian leader he has “a tremendous opportunity to do something historic in his country,” according to an official statement by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. The U.S. leader added that he is also looking to normalize relations with Sharaa.

Shaara, during the discussion, affirmed his commitment to the 1974 disengagement with Israel, the White House said, and expressed interest in joint U.S.-Syrian efforts in combating terrorism and eliminating chemical weapons.

The Jerusalem Post May 15, 2025

Many were up in arms when, on Wednesday, Trump told reporters as he was boarding Air Force One that
1. “without the United States, the hostages would not be alive now.
2. There are about 20 alive; we will get them out step by step.”

However, from recent news reports, the U.S. president is not wrong;

Israeli media reported on Tuesday that Edan Alexander, the 21-year-old Israeli-American soldier hostage released on Monday, told Trump that since he took office, his conditions while held hostage had improved significantly.

Ultimately, it was Trump’s team negotiating with Hamas that got Alexander out.

The Prime Minister’s Office put out a statement on Sunday when the deal was announced, attempting to spin the deal in their favor and make it look as though Israel was an active player, when in fact, it was Trump’s team that was on the ground making the deal for his release.

So, while many were up in arms at Trump’s apparent taking credit, others still said that he is right, and it is further proof that the Israeli government is not doing enough for the return of the hostages.

Nevertheless, when it comes to Trump’s Middle East tour, the fact that in two short days, Israel has been so significant during discussions has thoroughly refuted any claim made that Israel is low on the U.S. president’s list of priorities.

Further, it was a sign: a sign that sometime in the near future, Israel could enter some very advantageous agreements with its neighbors and, although they are not next door, their joining the Abraham Accords could be the foot in the door, for the country that needs to improve
1. its diplomatic standing in the Middle East,
2. recover its international reputation,
3. and ultimately garner enough partners to put pressure on Hamas to bring about a definitive end to the war.

The Guardian May 17, 2025
What Donald Trump did this week should terrify Benjamin Netanyahu. This is why

The president’s Middle East tour made one thing clear – he will betray his one-time ally in a heartbeat. He is already doing it.

It’s come to something when the Palestinians’ best hope for relief rests on a man who dreams of emptying Gaza of its people and turning the place into a beach resort. And yet the clearest, and perhaps only, way out of the current agony lies with Trump – and his growing impatience with an ever-more isolated Israel.

If this were any of Trump’s predecessors, you would be hailing the past week as confirmation of a radical, even epochal shift in U.S. foreign policy. But because it’s Trump, you can’t be sure it’s not a passing whim that will be undone in another equally drastic shift a matter of weeks, or even hours, from now.

Still, taken at face value, Trump’s tour of the past several days signifies a sharply different approach to the Middle East and especially to the country that, for decades, Washington saw as its chief ally in the region.

The most basic fact is also the most telling: the U.S. president did not even visit Israel. Opening a can of worms Never give anybody outside U.S.-Israel, Free ammunition Now, need to "Show Israel something very special.”

That could have been explained away but for what Trump said and did on his travels.

The Guardian May 17, 2025

In Saudi Arabia, he did not merely greet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman warmly, he gushed with adoration. “I like you too much,” he said to Prince Mohammed, asking the de-facto ruler once snubbed by Washington for his reliance on the bone saw if he ever found time to sleep, given how energetically he had transformed his kingdom.

The two men agreed a deal that will see Saudi Arabia acquire $142billion of US arms.
“My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier,” Yet arms sale

Until this week, a cornerstone of the U.S.-Israel relationship was a U.S. guarantee that Israel would always enjoy military superiority over its neighbours.
That looks much less certain now.

Indeed, Trump declared that the U.S. has “no stronger partner” than Saudi Arabia, a status that used to belong to Israel alone.
He is not going to declare U.S. has “no stronger partner” than Israel in Saudi Arabia

What’s more, Trump showed Riyadh all this love with none of the previous strings attached. None of it was conditional on Saudi “normalisation” of relations with Israel. Trump said Prince Mohammed could do that when he was good and ready, free of U.S. pressure.

And this was the pattern throughout. Strikingly, in a shift that would have garnered huge attention had it been any other president but which, because it was Trump, was just one more turn of the news cycle, Trump welcomed Syria in from the cold.

He lifted U.S. sanctions and praised the country’s new leader as “attractive” and a “fighter”. Given that until December Ahmed al-Sharaa was on a U.S. list of wanted terrorists over his links to al-Qaida, and had a $10million bounty on his head, this is quite the turnaround.

Confirming that one of Trump’s great weaknesses as a negotiator is his tendency to give something for nothing, Trump handed all this to Sharaa without even raising the security assurances sought by Israel.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-may-18-2025/

Report: Body of Hamas leader Muhammad Sinwar found in Gaza tunnel struck by IDF

The Guardian May 17, 2025
Trump is now in the business of cutting the deals he wants, regardless of the needs of the U.S.’s one-time key ally.

He agreed a separate pact with the Houthis in Yemen, which prevents them attacking U.S. shipping but leaves them free to keep raining rockets on Israel.

He said he is “very close” to a nuclear deal with Iran, waving aside the decades-long conviction of the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, that Tehran’s nuclear ambitions will only be halted by force.

Trump made nice with Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, unfazed by the latter’s hostility to Israel and close ties to Hamas.

He even dealt with Hamas all but directly, securing the group’s release of Edan Alexander, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, a move that Netanyahu only heard about once it was done.

As loudly and clearly as he can, Trump is telling Netanyahu that he is no longer No 1 and that he will not get in the way of whatever Trump decides best serves U.S., and his own, interests.

The Guardian May 17, 2025

Part of this is born of frustration with Netanyahu for failing to play his part in getting the Middle East to the stability, and therefore prosperity, that Trump thinks is possible and potentially profitable for the U.S.

Put simply, what Trump wants from Netanyahu is to get the war on Hamas wrapped up and off the world’s TV screens But the Israeli PM is not delivering.

So do we — Difficult and Impossible — considering U.S. couldn't wrap-up Houthis even with No hostages at that
U.S.-terrorists Houthis ceasefire Ah that's great -- that's beautiful -- some deal Trump made... U.S. capitulated

You could hear that frustration in the remarks of Trump’s personal envoy, Steve Witkoff, to hostage families in Israel this week:
“We want to bring the hostages home, but Israel is not willing to end the war. Israel is prolonging it.”

Harsh and Unfair call — considering How impossibly difficult fighting tunnel-based urban warfare terror let alone... Yet, Western political elites — and most so called Israel allies and media figures — consistently overlook these terror realities and continue to take Israel to task over everything they did or did not do...

The Guardian — Please table your feasible plan to end the war

The Guardian May 17, 2025
In fact, polls show huge majorities of the Israeli public keen, if not desperate, to see an immediate end to the war.

But Netanyahu is defying his citizens for wholly selfish reasons.
On trial for corruption, he can only be sure to stay out of prison if he remains in the PM’s chair.

To do that, he has to keep his ruling coalition in place, including the two ultra-nationalist extremists, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
Those men want the war to go on and on, dreaming of a Gaza cleared for the return of Jewish settlements.

Thinking only of his own survival, Netanyahu bows to their demands and keeps the fires of war burning no matter the human cost.

This is not an accusation against the government; it is a boast made by them.
Which is how you end up with the atrocity of an Israeli government using starvation as a weapon of war, blocking the entry of all aid into Gaza since 2 March.

The defence minister, Israel Katz, spelled it out last month: “Israel’s policy is clear: no humanitarian aid will enter Gaza.”
He described the blocking of aid as “one of the main pressure levers” on Hamas.

Israeli officials defend airstrikes such as those that killed scores this week by saying they’re aimed at Hamas military sites or commanders, including the group’s leader in Gaza, Mohammed Sinwar.

But they can make no such claim for the use of mass hunger, which is indiscriminate by its very nature. It is legally a war crime and morally unconscionable.
And yet it is the stated policy of this despicable Israeli government.

The Guardian May 17, 2025
Too little attention is paid to the convergence of circumstances that created this catastrophe:

The fact that the heinous Hamas atrocities of 7 October 2023 occurred on the watch of spot on
1. an Israeli government shaped by Kahanists
2. and a prime minister ready to cross every red line to stay out of jail and save his own skin.

That combination has brought us to this terrible moment, when the suffering and killing, seem as if they will never end.

There may be only one man who can call a halt.

Trump could continue what he started this week, making deals across the Middle East that cut out Israel, but that also do nothing for Palestinians. Or, following his admission as he left the region on Friday that people in Gaza are “starving”, and his promise that “we’re going to get that taken care of”,

He could use the muscle he has and force Netanyahu to accept the bargain that has been on the table for months:
1. the release of all remaining hostages
2. and an end to the war.

If Hamas not destroyed — Hamas and other terrorists Recover, Rearm, Regroup for next October 7 "endless offensive” Forever terror war.
“We’re open to an alternative if The Guardian has a better one,”

Of course, what dozens of stricken Israeli families and millions of shattered, starving Palestinians need are new leaders willing and capable of shaping for themselves a better destiny for both peoples, ideally together. Until that day, their lives are in the hands of Donald Trump.

The Times of Israel May 18, 2025
Body of Hamas leader Muhammad Sinwar found in Gaza tunnel struck by IDF

The Saudi channel Al-Hadath reports that the body of Muhammad Sinwar, the de facto commander of Hamas’s military wing in Gaza, was found in a tunnel in Khan Younis where the terror leader was targeted by the Israel Defense Forces last week.

According to the report, the bodies of 10 of Sinwar’s aides were found with him.
It is also reported that there is evidence that the commander of the Rafah Brigade in Hamas’s military wing, Mohammad Shabana, was also killed in the strike.

Israel has not confirmed the deaths of either Sinwar or Shabana.

The strikes on Tuesday targeted an underground command compound below the European Hospital where Sinwar was believed to be sheltering.
The IDF later bombed the area several more times, in an apparent attempt to prevent anyone from approaching the tunnel.

Sinwar, a senior Hamas military commander, is the younger brother of the former Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, who was killed by the IDF in southern Gaza last October.

Following the killing of Hamas’s top military commander, Muhammad Deif, last July, Muhammad Sinwar took charge of the terror group’s military wing.
Later, after Sinwar’s older brother was killed by IDF troops, he became the de facto leader of the terror group in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli officials have described Muhammad Sinwar as obstinate with regard to negotiations with Hamas for the release of hostages, and an obstacle to reaching a ceasefire deal. The younger Sinwar is also wanted for terrorist actions against Israel and has been active in Hamas for decades.

He was jailed by Israel in the 1990s for nine months and spent an additional three years in a Palestinian Authority prison in Ramallah, from which he escaped in 2000. In 2006, Sinwar was part of a Hamas cell that abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. He also previously commanded Hamas’s Khan Younis Brigade.

Most of Hamas’s leadership has been eliminated by Israel during the ongoing war, which was sparked by Hamas' October 7, 2023 massacre.
Day 590 Israel winning battles but not war

demonstration maliveld Amnesty International » More tags
Sunday, 18 May 2025 - 12:15

Pro-Palestinian protester arrested in Amsterdam as 37,000 prepare to rally in The Hague
At least one pro-Palestinian demonstrator was arrested Sunday morning during a protest in Amsterdam marking the 50th anniversary celebration of the Center for Information and Documentation on Israel (Centrum Informatie en Documentatie Israël, or CIDI). Meanwhile, tens of thousands are expected to gather later in The Hague for a large demonstration against the Dutch government’s Israel policy.

Police moved to disperse the protest around 11 a.m. near the Royal Tropical Institute (Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen, or KIT) in Amsterdam, where the CIDI celebration was taking place. Protesting at the KIT was banned by Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema. Instead, she designated a protest area a short distance away, across the canal.


At the protest’s peak, about 100 demonstrators chanted slogans critical of Israel. By 11 a.m., that number had dropped to around 20. NOS reported that the KIT building was vandalized with red paint.

Police, present in large numbers, warned protesters they would be forcibly moved to Alexanderplein if they did not leave voluntarily, cautioning that arrests could follow. The relocation began peacefully but briefly turned unrestful. Shortly after 11:30 a.m., a small group of protesters remained at Alexanderplein under police watch, although most officers had left the area. A spokesperson confirmed that at least one protester had been taken into custody.


CIDI frequently engages in public discourse to support Israel. The organization stresses that Israel is engaged in conflict with the terrorist group Hamas, while also expressing criticism of some of the most extreme figures within the Israeli government.

Malieveld protest
In the meantime, organizers announced that over 37,000 people had registered to participate in a demonstration against the cabinet’s policy on Israel. The event begins at 1 p.m. on the Malieveld in The Hague and will proceed to the Vredespaleis.


Demonstrators were urged by the organizers, which include Amnesty International, to wear red clothing to form a symbolic "red line" against the government’s stance. The municipality of The Hague advised attendees to use public transport or bicycles to mitigate expected crowding in the city center.

At Utrecht Centraal station, an ANP reporter observed crowded conditions with many people dressed in red waiting to travel to The Hague demonstration. Some trains were reportedly full, and not all demonstrators could board immediately.

Similar scenes were reported at Arnhem station, where large groups clad in red awaited trains heading to The Hague. A reporter also noted a heavily packed train traveling from Rotterdam to The Hague with many passengers in red attire.


A spokesperson for NS said conditions at Den Haag Centraal station were comparable to a typical rush hour. “We also see people lingering at the station since the demonstration only begins at 1 p.m.,” the spokesperson added. They noted that the station’s restrooms were especially busy.

The spokesperson did not confirm reports that some passengers were unable to board trains immediately. “There may be peak moments in Utrecht,” they said. However, NS runs frequent services between Utrecht and Den Haag Centraal. If trains are full, passengers are asked to wait for the next one.

Reporting by ANP and NL Times

Israel will not listen anymore to their closest allies in Europe! The only powertool EU has are various measures of sanctions against the Israeli government and the violent settlers.