THE HAGUE — Hundreds of demonstrators filled the streets of The Hague on Sunday, voicing strong opposition to NATO, mounting military expenditures, and the deepening conflict between Israel and Iran. The protest comes just days before NATO leaders are set to convene for a high-stakes summit, with defense budgets and Middle East instability high on the agenda.
Carrying banners and chanting slogans, protesters decried Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza and the recent U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites—an action widely seen as a dramatic escalation in Washington’s support for Israel. The attacks have further heightened tensions across a region already teetering on the edge.
“We are opposed to war,” said Hossein Hamadani, a 74-year-old Iranian expatriate living in the Netherlands. “People want to live a peaceful life. Why do we spend so much on weapons when the world needs healing?”
A NATO official, speaking to Reuters under condition of anonymity, said the alliance was “closely monitoring” the volatile situation following the U.S. strike.
The NATO summit, beginning Tuesday, will gather leaders from all 32 member nations. Central to the talks will be a contentious push for increased military spending—a cause championed by former U.S. President Donald Trump. He has recently renewed pressure on members, singling out Spain for what he called “notorious” underfunding.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pushed back, calling the proposed 5% GDP defense spending target “unreasonable and counterproductive,” and requested a more flexible policy in a letter to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
Despite increased defense budgets following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, nearly one-third of NATO members still fall short of the alliance’s 2% GDP benchmark.
As world leaders prepare to gather, so too do voices calling for peace over power.
