Dutch customs says Schiphol bag checks are routine after Israel warning

Israel's Foreign Affairs Ministry has warned Israelis travelling to the Netherlands that they may face "lengthy and invasive" luggage inspections, following the Dutch government's sweeping ban on imports of goods from Israeli settlements. Dutch Customs has stressed that the checks are routine and risk-based.

Key facts

• The Dutch import ban took effect on 22 September 2026.
• It covers goods made wholly or partly in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Golan Heights.
• Dutch Customs says baggage inspections happen at various Dutch airports and the sanctions measure is now part of that work.
• The umbrella Jewish organisation CJO said only 15 travellers were checked on one Friday flight from Tel Aviv.
• There are no exemptions for religious products, the Dutch Foreign Ministry confirmed.

What is changing at Dutch airports?

Since 22 September 2026, enforcement of the Dutch sanctions measure has become part of Dutch Customs' baggage inspections at airports in the Netherlands. Oscar van Elferen, spokesperson for Dutch Customs, said inspections are decided on the basis of risk analysis and random checks, and that customs cannot and does not need to inspect every flight.

He said customs "never conducts inspections on the basis of personal characteristics such as religion or nationality."

Who is being checked?

A passenger on a Friday flight from Tel Aviv to Schiphol reported being stopped at passport control and then having her luggage searched after collecting her bags, with officials asking where she had come from and briefly inspecting items including face cream. She said the officer was friendly and that she did not feel intimidated, while understanding why other passengers might.

The Central Jewish Consultation (CJO), the Netherlands' umbrella Jewish organisation, said that based on its information only 15 travellers were checked on that Friday flight, and that there are "no indications that travelers from Israel are systematically subjected to extra checks at Schiphol." The CJO nevertheless continues to oppose the sanctions, arguing they affect Jewish life in the Netherlands.

What does the import ban cover?

The prohibition applies to all goods originating in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, including products only partially made or produced in those areas — for example where a single ingredient comes from there even if the product was mainly made elsewhere, such as Tel Aviv. The Dutch Foreign Ministry confirmed there are no exemptions for religious products.

Are transit passengers affected?

Van Elferen said passengers only transiting the Netherlands on the way to a third country would not be checked under the sanctions measure, because it is intended to prevent certain goods being imported into the Netherlands or placed on the Dutch market. He added that this does not rule out inspections for other reasons, as customs also enforces rules such as controls on narcotics and products that do not meet European safety standards.

What this means for travellers

Travellers arriving in the Netherlands from Israel should be prepared for the possibility of a luggage inspection, though Dutch Customs and the CJO both say checks are not systematic. Those carrying goods made wholly or partly in the West Bank, east Jerusalem or the Golan Heights should note that the ban has no religious exemptions. Transit passengers are not covered by the sanctions checks.

Israel's Foreign Ministry and the Israeli Embassy in The Hague said they are monitoring the situation and will update the public as developments unfold. Israel has also responded by revoking the credentials of Dutch diplomats at the Netherlands Representative Office in Ramallah, with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar ordering them to return their documentation within seven days.