Netanyahu in Meeting with Dutch Counterpart: We Are in a Battle of 'Civilization' Against 'Barbarism'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with his Dutch counterpart, Mark Rutte, in Jerusalem on Monday, October 23. The meeting, held behind closed doors, included the two prime ministers, the head of the National Security Council, the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff, the Prime Minister's military representative, and Israel's foreign policy advisor, as well as the Dutch national security advisor and the ambassador of the Netherlands to Israel. Prior to the meeting, Netanyahu welcomed his Dutch counterpart in front of reporters, stating, 'We are in a battle of civilization against barbarism. Hamas is ISIS. Just as the world united to defeat ISIS, the world must now unite against Hamas, to unite with Israel to defeat them.' Netanyahu further reiterated the 'barbarism of Hamas and the unimaginable savagery of this group,' saying, 'I have been in many wars. I have seen terrible things. But I have never seen such horrific things. This is our common battle of civilization.' He concluded his brief remarks by thanking the Netherlands for its support, stating that standing with Israel is even more important than standing alongside Israel. The Dutch Prime Minister also expressed his happiness at being in Israel and appreciated Netanyahu's efforts and his government’s response to Hamas attacks to restore safety to Israel. Mark Rutte mentioned the deaths of 1,400 people during the 'horrific' attack on Israel and stated he would discuss with Netanyahu 'how best to move forward.' The meeting between the Israeli and Dutch prime ministers comes just hours after Josep Borrell, the EU's foreign policy chief, called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas militants to facilitate more humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza residents. Additionally, Reuters reported on the same day that the final draft of the upcoming EU summit would call for a 'humanitarian pause' in the Israel-Hamas war to ensure safe delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza residents. From the early hours following the October 7 terrorist attack by Palestinian militants on Israel, the United States and European countries expressed full solidarity with Israel and emphasized its right to self-defense. The necessity of freeing Israeli hostages held by Palestinian groups and providing aid to Palestinian civilians in Gaza has also been highlighted by the West following the October 7 terrorist attack. The Israel-Hamas war has resulted in significant casualties, with reports indicating that '436 Palestinians' were killed within 24 hours. The third humanitarian aid convoy has entered the Rafah crossing. Israel reported 308 soldiers killed and 222 hostages held by Hamas. Israeli military attacks on Gaza and southern Lebanon are ongoing, coinciding with the formation of Netanyahu's 'war cabinet.' A joint statement from six countries regarding the Israel-Hamas war emphasized Israel's right to defend itself and protect civilians. Documents revealing Hamas's misuse of civilian centers to attack Israel have been released. American senators in Tel Aviv stated that the destruction of Hamas is non-negotiable. Gallant stated that the enemy in Gaza will meet with bombs before facing armored forces.