Israel summons ambassador to Netherlands after criticism of ministers

Israel’s foreign ministry has summoned Zvi Aviner Vapni, its ambassador to the Netherlands, back to Israel for a clarification meeting, the ministry told The Times of Israel. The move follows an interview with Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad, published on 7 November.

In the interview, Vapni said Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir had said things he found “terrible and unacceptable”, according to The Times of Israel’s translation. He said he felt no need to defend the two far-right ministers.

He also criticised violent Israeli settler extremists in the West Bank, describing them as “hooligans and Jewish terrorists”, and said they should be imprisoned and the violence must stop, the newspaper reported.

Vapni had used similar language about a group of violent settlers in a separate interview with Dutch organisation Christenen voor Israël in September, when he said they should be arrested and punished.