Amsterdam – In a huge blow to Israel, Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders announced Thursday that calls to boycott the Jewish state fall within the limits of free speech, undermining intensive Israeli diplomatic efforts to sway European capitals to outlaw the Boycott, Sanctions and Divestment Movement.
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“Statements or meetings concerning BDS are protected by freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, as enshrined in the Dutch Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights,” Koenders said Thursday during a debate on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at the Dutch parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee in The Hague.
He added that the Dutch government has explained to Israel that it opposes any boycott against it, but that BDS endorsement is a free speech issue. Sweden recently made a similar declaration.
His words came just two day after the State Comptroller charged Israel was losing the battle against BDS and delegitimization because of government disorganization and a lack of resources. Dutch Ambassador to Israel Gilles Beschoor Plug told The Jerusalem Post that Thursday’s decision did not reflect a change in government policy. “Supporting BDS by people in Holland is not illegal and therefore it falls within the limits of freedom,” the ambassador said.
Beschoor Plug said that despite the statement, Holland does not support BDS and does not believe it will help solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A two-state solution, the ambassador said, would only be achieved through “dialogue and not isolation.”
“As long as what one says is not illegal you are free to say it,” Beschoor Plug reiterated.
But Koenders’ statement struck a chord in Jerusalem where the Foreign Ministry is in the midst of a massive legislative campaign to outlaw BDS throughout western parliaments. Jerusalem argues that BDS falls into the category of “hate speech”, pitching itself against international human rights organizations and left wing parliamentarians in Europe and other Western countries.
Israel’s position is based on the argument that by calling to divest and boycott Israel, BDS supporters are seeking the destruction of Israel. It believes therefore that it should be illegal.
Human rights organizations and left wing parliamentarians in turn are using European governments to affirm that BDS is protected by the laws of free speech.
The BDS movement wasted no time in declaring Koenders words a victory. Sarah Wilkonsin tweeted: “Israel who claims to be democratic, failed in their attempt to be undemocratic!”
In response to the Dutch move, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Emmanuel Nachshon lashed back and told The Post that there needed to be limits on the concept of freedom of speech.
“Once free speech becomes a pretext for allowing hate speech, then it is no longer legitimate,” Nachshon said.
“The statement of the Dutch Foreign Minister is puzzling and difficult to understand,” he added. “How can someone on the one hand be against hatred and boycott, but on the other hand justify people who advocate this hatred policy under the guise of freedom of speech?”
no Jew should ever travel/tour to Amsterdam and cut their tourist dollars,and don’t buy any products from the Netherlands !!
You have to remember many of these countries were with Hitler and his band of merryman, so they don’t have any love for Jewish people or now Israel. What do you expect from them years later their hate has never left. These countries are now under mass migrant invasion so if you have not visited them 5 years earlier don’t bother they are not who they were.
Not seeing another Jew will make the Dutch very happy and the don’t need the Israeli mafia there nor the few tourists who stay with friends and don’t spend anything much in the country. Stop pretending that anyone needs either Israelis or Jewish money,
Idiots. When speech incites racist action, it is no longer free. In this case it is anti-Semitic terrorism.
We should boycott them and stop buying clogs.
I don’t understand why the Israeli government and media are so upset about the BDS the boycotting of products from Yehuda & Shomron when they themselves hate the “Settlers” living there more than they hate Arab terrorists.
It’s about time the frum jews woke up and realized that the medinah is a blot on the Jewish people. A combination of zionist propaganda, immature thinking by the frum Jews and false feelings of Jewish “pride” has brought us to a situation where frum Jews continue to side with the medinah and, in turn, bring anger upon the Jewish people. True torah jews understand that the medinah is one of the worst things that has ever occurred in our history. Please educate yourselves.
I pity Jews living in Europe today
I was there recently.
It’s a toilet.
What people may not realize, besides England and France, there are more Jews in a small town in USA than in entore European countries
How many Jews live in Italy?
27k
How many in Holland, Norway (1200) ,Greece, Sweden, Denmark, and even Austria??
I venture to say, there more Jews in chicago or even Seattle than in all the above combined!
I took my family to Europe because I truly believe that in a few years Jews won’t be safe walking down a street in most European countries
close the door on Europe and hit them in the pocketbook
So long as they don’t censor the views of the opposing party (supporters of Israel), I can’t complain. But they probably do. What can I say? It’s a corrupt world.