The 1970s were a time of change in Dutch public opinion on the Middle East. A survey conducted by nipo and Elseviers Magazine, published on 6 September 1979, concluded that 91% of the Dutch supported the right of the Palestinians to have their own state. This meant a significant difference with a similar survey conducted two years earlier, when the score had been 43%. The same survey showed a link between Dutch political preferences and the willingness to open a dialogue with the Palestine Liberation Organization (plo). Supporters of the Labour Party (PvdA) and Democrats (D66) were more open to such a dialogue than those supporting the more right-wing Liberals (vvd) and Christian Democrats (cda). Sympathy for the Palestinians was considered a typically left-wing stance in the Netherlands, as siding with the underdog. The Palestinians were increasingly seen as oppressed, a displaced people, and as being discriminated against by Israel. The 1970s in the Netherlands saw a rise in sympathy for the Palestinian case, combined with criticism of Israeli politics, accusations of abuse and torture by Israeli authorities and the questioning of the legitimacy of Israel as a state.

In chapters 6 and 8, Evelien Gans writes about the complicated relations between the Netherlands and Israel, and antisemitism and Israel. Before the 1970s, Dutch public opinion about Israel was generally positive and supportive (see chapter 6). The Dutch did not just support Israel in spirit, but also financially and even physically. During the 1967 Six-Day War, the Dutch donated millions of guilders to the Israeli case through fundraisers, as well as blood and even manpower in the form of voluntary medical and military personnel. These donations came from private initiatives and were further organised by churches and local organisations. The Dutch government helped out by granting tax breaks to individuals and companies that donated. People drove around with bumper stickers on their cars declaring, ‘We stand behind Israel!’. Dutch newspapers featured full-page advertisements stating, ‘Israel needs two things: money and blood’ – together, of course, with a bank account number to allow their readers to meet those needs. The Dutch support for Israel was outwardly strong and personal.