Dutch Council of State rules country must again process asylum applications by Palestinians

ATHENS

The Netherland’s Council of State ruled that country must again process the asylum applications by Palestinians, local media reported on Wednesday.

Deciding a case brought by three Palestinian asylum seekers, the Council of State ruled that the six-month pause imposed by the outgoing Justice Minister Eric van der Burg in December 2023 on the pretext that war in Gaza caused an uncertainty regarding applications by Palestinians was not properly substantiated, according to the public broadcaster NOS.

The pause mainly affected Palestinians who had left their families in Gaza as they couldn’t bring their families on the basis of family unification.

Accordingly, three Palestinian asylum seekers went to the Council of State against the pause, arguing that situation in Gaza was not uncertain, but unsafe and not temporary, meaning that the asylum applications of Palestinians must be processed within the agreed period.​​​​​​​