Dutch MP Faces Criminal Charges After Calling for Violence Against Palestinian Asylum Seekers
The Hague, 15 May 2026
Gidi Markuszower, a Dutch Parliament member, is under criminal investigation after publicly advocating for ‘maximum violence’ to prevent Palestinian refugees from entering the Netherlands. The Rights Forum and multiple organisations filed complaints on 14 May 2026, following his inflammatory statements made during a television interview. Political leaders across the spectrum have condemned his remarks as ‘sickening’ and ‘morally reprehensible’, with calls for collective action against the former PVV member who now leads his own parliamentary group.
The Inflammatory Statements That Sparked Legal Action
The criminal complaint stems from statements Markuszower made on 12 May 2026 in a video, where he declared that the Netherlands should stop asylum seekers from Palestine ‘with violence’ at the border [1]. During an interview on the Left Laser news channel on 14 May 2026, Markuszower escalated his rhetoric further, stating: ‘They cannot come here… The Royal Marechaussee must say: do not enter here. And if they still come, you must defend yourself with maximum violence. Proportional maximum violence. Maybe with even more violence than where they came from. If necessary’ [2]. When pressed by de Volkskrant, Markuszower confirmed he stands by his words, contextualising them within his broader opposition to asylum policy [2].
Legal Complaints and Political Condemnation
The Rights Forum announced on 15 May 2026 that they would file a criminal complaint against Markuszower, describing his statements as ‘not only morally reprehensible, but in our opinion incite violence against Palestinians’ [1]. Joshua Livestro also announced he would file a criminal complaint against the MP as of 14 May 2026 [2]. The Rights Forum wants Markuszower’s statements to be assessed by the Public Prosecution Service and punished by the court [2]. Political leaders across the spectrum have voiced strong condemnation, with Jesse Klaver of Progressief Nederland calling Markuszower’s language ‘deeply repulsive’ and demanding ‘collective condemnation, from right to left, from parliament to cabinet’ [1][2].
Growing Political Isolation
The backlash has intensified Markuszower’s political isolation within Dutch parliament. Laurens Dassen, leader of Volt, called the statements ‘sickening’ and ‘disgusting’ on 14 May 2026, urging the cabinet to condemn Markuszower and stop working with him [1][2]. Jan Paternotte, D66 faction leader, dismissed the recent statements as ‘complete idiocy’ [1]. This presents a significant challenge for Prime Minister Rob Jetten of D66, who in January 2026 had seen ‘sufficient points of contact’ for collaborations between his minority cabinet and Groep Markuszower [1]. Markuszower leads his own parliamentary group after splitting from the PVV faction along with six others in January 2026 [1].
Context of Rising Tensions Over Palestinian Asylum Seekers
The controversy emerges amid growing tensions surrounding Palestinian asylum seekers in the Netherlands. On 12 May 2026, asylum lawyers and the immigration service IND confirmed to NRC that a growing number of asylum seekers registered as having ‘unknown nationality’ are primarily from Palestinian territories [2]. Recent violence occurred in Loosdrecht where far-right demonstrators set fire to a building where asylum seekers had just arrived, as reported on 13 May 2026 [1]. Markuszower had previously been criticised during a parliamentary debate on 7 May 2026 for his presence at asylum demonstrations in Loosdrecht, and he characterised the violence there as merely ‘incidents’ [1]. For asylum seekers currently residing in reception centres (AZCs), these political developments signal a potentially more hostile environment, as inflammatory rhetoric from elected officials may embolden extremist groups and complicate their legal pathways to protection in the Netherlands [GPT].