Dutch security agency accuses Israel of attempting to influence politics, public opinion through disinformation, raising concerns of pressure on international justice institutions
The Netherlands has included Israel for the first time on its list of foreign states that pose a threat to the country, according to a recent report released by the country's chief counterterrorism agency, the Dutch National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism (NCTV).
The document, titled Assessment of Threats from State Actors, points to efforts by Israel to manipulate Dutch public opinion and influence political decision-making through disinformation campaigns.
One incident cited in the report involves a document circulated last year by an Israeli ministry to Dutch journalists and politicians through unofficial channels. The report claimed the document contained unusual and unwanted personal details about Dutch citizens, following tensions during a rally in Amsterdam of supporters of football team Maccabi Tel Aviv.
The NCTV also flagged concerns over mounting threats from both Israel and the US toward the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. These threats, it noted, could potentially disrupt the court’s work.
As a host country to several international legal institutions, the Netherlands was described as having a "special responsibility" to safeguard their operations in the face of such external pressures.
Although the NCTV had previously expressed concern about Israeli spyware and surveillance tools, this particular report does not name Israel in its espionage section.
