By Charlotte Van Campenhout
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Israeli President Isaac Herzog is to attend the opening of the National Holocaust Museum in Amsterdam on Sunday amid a planned protest against Israel’s killing of tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza.
The museum told media that it had invited Herzog before the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel and Israel’s subsequent offensive in Gaza which has turned many neighbourhoods into ruins.
It said in a statement it recognised that Herzog’s attendance raised questions but added that he represented the homeland of Dutch Holocaust survivors who emigrated to Israel.
“We express our deep concern regarding the upcoming opening of the Dutch National Holocaust Museum, where Israeli President
Herzog is scheduled to attend,” the Dutch Jewish anti-zionist organisation Erev Rav said.
It is organising a protest with the Dutch Palestinian Community and Socialist International.
It added that while it honours the memory of Holocaust victims, it could not stand by while the war in Gaza continued.
Nicaragua last week filed an application with the International Court of Justice to join South Africa in its accusation of genocide by Israel against Palestinians.
Some of Herzog’s remarks have been cited by South Africa in its lawsuit. He has previously said that not only militants but “an entire nation” was responsible for the Oct. 7 attack on Israel and that Israel will fight “until we break their backbone”.
Israeli officials were not immediately available for comment on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath.
Germany killed six million Jews during World War Two. Modern Israel was founded in 1948 as a safe haven for Jews.
The Gaza war was triggered by the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on southern Israel, in which 1,200 people were killed and 253 taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.
Gaza’s health ministry said on Saturday at least 30,960 Palestinians have been killed and 72,524 wounded in Israel’s retaliatory offensive.
Dutch King Willem-Alexander is set to meet Herzog on Sunday. Prime Minister Mark Rutte will also attend the opening.
(Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout from Amsterdam, additional reporting by Mayaan Lubell from Jerusalem; Editing by Nick Macfie)
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