The Hague Peace Projects
Stop the War
De-escalation Starts with Dialogue. It’s Time to Talk!
Stop The War is an initiative to engage in and promote dialogue as a constructive route to peace.
The conflict in Ukraine has reduced relations between East and West to the level of the worst crises of the Cold War. Despite this, neither side seems willing to take a step back. On the contrary, there is a continuous escalation, both in rhetoric, heavier armaments, and the bombing of civilian infrastructure. This escalation brings the chance of a direct confrontation between nuclear superpowers ever closer. The devastating consequences of such a confrontation are incalculable. We condemn the recklessness with which both Russia and NATO play roulette with the future of humanity in this way. It is everyone’s responsibility to do everything possible to avoid this scenario.

The route to Peace
With this statement we hope to discourage the escalation of warring rhetoric and action, and establish support for the commencement of peace negotiations
- Abandon the policy of escalation and actively seek a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Ukraine, for example by setting up a national advisory committee to advise on possible diplomatic solutions to the war.
- Make efforts at EU level to appoint an EU peace envoy who will explore the possibilities for a diplomatic solution with both Russia and Ukraine.
- Use the influence of the Netherlands in the EU to organize an international conference between all warring parties, including Russia, the US, Ukraine, NATO and the EU, in which agreements can be made about a common, permanent, and sustainable security framework.
Press Release November 2023 - Violence in Israel/Palestine (English)
The Hague, 14-10-2023
The world was shocked by Hamas’ attack on Israel last weekend and the violence that followed. We are deeply saddened by the loss of many civilian lives on both sides of the conflict, Israelis and Palestinians alike. We condemn all attacks on civilians, whether carried out by Hamas, or by the State of Israel as collective punishment of the Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
The current situation in Gaza is extremely alarming. Political and military leaders of Israel have explicitly stated it is their goal to destroy Gaza , to maximize damage, and to remove the entire population by military force. The actions and statements by Israeli officials amount to ethnic cleansing and an intent to commit genocide. We condemn those Western leaders who enable Israel to implement these intents by their political and military support.
Imprisoning more than two million people on a small strip of land without food, shelter, electricity and water, while bombing them from airplanes is deliberate cruelty that does not comply with any human values nor international law. The atrocities committed by Hamas do not legitimize the deliberate bombing of civilian neighborhoods of Palestinians, and the targeting of families, schools, hospitals, mosques, and humanitarian convoys.
As human beings we cannot remain silent or indifferent to these war crimes. Therefore, we call upon all decisionmakers in the US and the EU to intervene to stop Israels’ bombing campaign, and to open up all necessary humanitarian corridors to allow the supply of food, water, and medical care to enter the Gaza strip.
The unfolding violence is the result of an accumulation of many crimes and injustices over the past decades. This historical background requires a place in the mainstream political narrative to open the way towards dialogue and sustainable peace. For too long, the West has aided the colonial project of Israel and ignored the basic human rights of the Palestinian people and their legitimate claim to their land and dignity.
The Second World War is remembered as one of the most catastrophic events in human history. “Never again” was the slogan which carried the peace movement to rebuild a world where this was true. It is imperative that we emphasize the need for equal human rights for both Israelis and Palestinians, and recognize that crimes of colonialism, suppression, apartheid, and ethnic cleansing cannot be ignored no matter who commits them.
We urgently call for an immediate ceasefire on civilian targets in the Gaza strip and for negotiations to release the Israeli hostages. We strongly warn against a singular political narrative that needlessly accelerates this conflict. We believe that only dialogue and a mutual recognition of each other’s suffering can bring this war to an end. We therefore call for an honest, deep, and serious dialogue between all relevant actors in this conflict in order to advance towards a sustainable peace in the Middle East.
The Hague Peace Projects
Persbericht Februari 2023 - Oekraïne (Dutch)
Op 17 februari jl. organiseerde The Hague Peace Projects een publieke bijeenkomst in Den Haag onder de titel: “Vrede in Oekraïene: Tijd om te praten!” Sprekers waren Jan Pronk, oud minister en VN-gezant, Anette Freyberg- Inan, hoogleraar politicologie en internationale betrekkingen en aan de UvA, Bastiaan van Apeldoorn, hoogleraar Globale Politieke Economie en Geopolitiek aan de VU en eerste kamerlid voor de SP en Henk Baars, voorzitter van de vredesorganisatie Kerk en Vrede. Na de presentatie van de sprekers volgde een openhartig gesprek met het publiek over de vraag hoe wij als Westen in deze bedreigende situatie terecht zijn gekomen en hoe er zo snel mogelijk een einde aan het bloedvergieten kan komen.
Een jaar geleden viel Rusland Oekraïne aan en pleegde daarmee een daad van agressie tegen Oekraïene. Dit is een ernstige overtreding tegen de internationale rechtsorde die wij veroordelen. Tegelijkertijd zijn de Westerse leiders van de afgelopen drie decennia, die van de VS, de NAVO en de EU, mede verantwoordelijk voor het creëren van de condities waarbinnen dit conflict kon ontstaan. Onder meer door de uitbreiding van de NAVO en het actief ontmantelen van de nucleaire veiligheidsarchitectuur.
Door het conflict in Oekraïne zijn de verhoudingen tussen Oost en West teruggevallen tot het niveau van de ergste crises tijdens de Koude Oorlog. Desondanks lijkt geen van beide partijen bereid om een stap terug te doen. In tegendeel is er sprake van een voortdurende escalatie, zowel in retoriek, zwaardere bewapening als bombardementen op civiele infrastructuur. Deze escalatie brengt de kans op een directe confrontatie tussen nucleaire grootmachten steeds dichterbij. De vernietigende gevolgen van een dergelijke confrontatie zijn niet te overzien. Wij veroordelen de roekeloosheid waarmee zowel Rusland als de NAVO op deze wijze roulette spelen met de toekomst van de mensheid. Het is ieders verantwoordelijkheid om er alles aan te doen om dit scenario te voorkomen.
Daarom roept The Hague Peace Projects de Nederlandse regering op:
- Verlaat de politiek van escalatie en zoek actief naar een diplomatieke oplossing voor het conflict in Oekraïene, bijvoorbeeld door het instellen van een nationale adviescommissie die advies uitbrengt over mogelijke diplomatieke uitwegen uit de oorlog.
- Pleeg inspanningen in EU verband voor het benoemen van een EU-vredesgezant die met zowel Rusland als Oekraïne de mogelijkheden verkent voor een diplomatieke oplossing.
- Gebruik de invloed van Nederland invloed in EU om een internationale conferentie te organiseren tussen alle strijdende partijen waaronder Rusland, de VS, Oekraïene, de NAVO en de EU waarin afspraken gemaakt kunnen worden over een gemeenschappelijk, permanent en duurzaam veiligheidskader.
Een videoverslag van de bijeenkomst op 17 februari is hier terug te vinden. Mocht u vragen hebben nemen naar aanleiding van deze oproep of de bijeenkomst dan kunt u contact opnemen met Jakob de Jonge, voorzitter van The Hague Peace Projects: j.dejonge@thehaguepeace.org, 06- 18051097.
Peace in Ukraine: Time to Talk!
De-escalation Starts with Dialogue. It’s Time to Talk!
Dialogue
Follow discussions about the war in Ukraine and the dialogue for peace
We all have a story to tell, so let’s agree to listen. Dialogue is how we learn and gain appreciation of other perspectives. It is our route to conflict resolution and sustainable peace. We are committed to make room for dialogue in a well-informed and inclusive civil society, so that real non-violent, political, social, and environmental transformation can be achieved.
Public Debates
Public debate #1 – Grey Space, The Hague
Public debate #2 – Pakhuis de Zwijger, Amsterdam
All Interviews
Public discussion with Jan Pronk, Anette Freyberg- Inan, Bastiaan van Apeldoorn & Henk Baars
Interview with Harry van Bommel, former Member of Parliament for the SP
Interview with Henk Overbeek, professor of International Relations and former member of the Senate for the SP
Interview with Jan Pronk, former politician and minister, former UN envoy, emeritus professor
Interview with Nilab Ahmadi, council member for Bij1 in Amsterdam
Interview with May-May Meijer, chair of the NGO PeaceSOS
Interview with Bert de Vries, former Dutch minister
Interview with Ewald Engelen, Professor Financial Geography
Interview with Lidija Zelovic, Producer and Director
Interview with Tom Sauer, Professor International Political Relations at Antwerpen University
Interview with Arne Tulner, Historian and Political Scientist
Interview with Wendela de Vries, Researcher/Campaigner at Stop Wapenhandel
Interview with Guido van Leemput, political assistant for defense for the SP
Public debate at Pakhuis de Zwijger, Amsterdam, 30 June 2023
Interview with Henk Baars, chairman of Kerk en Vrede
Interview with Pieter Ham, Dutch farmer in Russia
Interview with Amir Kiyaei, Policy Coordinator of DiEM25
Interview with Jeffrey Sachs, economics professor and global leader in sustainable development
Interview with Mirjam Ateş-Snijdewind, chair of Religions for Peace
Interview with Erik van der Zanden, strategist for peaceful revolutions
Interview with Jasper van Dijk, MP for the Dutch Socialist Party
Interview with Larry Johnson, former CIA analyst
Interview with Chris de Ploeg, investigative journalist
Interview with Pascal Lottaz, associate professor of Kyoto University
Interview with Maryia Cherenko (Ukrainian doctor) about the need to end the war
Interview with Jan van de Kolk (Kairos-Sabeel) about the 75 year occupation of Palestine
Interview with Umayya Abu-Hanna, Palestinian Israeli journalist and writer
Interview with Rawad Yonus, Palestinian academic
Interview with Reinout Sterk, military lawyer
Interview with professor Bastiaan van Apeldoorn, Member of the First Chamber for the SP
Interview with Yuval Gal, candidate MP for BIJ1