Mr. Wilders also has a lot of other things on his mind, as detailed in this article from Haaretz:
Dutch MP Wilders to Haaretz: There is a witch hunt against my party
Geert Wilders’ umpteenth visit to Israel on Sunday will offer him refuge not only from the cold gripping Holland, but also from the worst political storm to hit this famous and controversial Dutch politician so far.
For Wilders, this will be the first visit to Israel since reaching real power for the first time. And it will also be the first time he is greeted in Israel with protests by people who oppose his views.
Over the past month, reports about the questionable practices of some of the members of his Party for Freedom have dominated Dutch media, which seemed to relish breaking one scandal after another about the rightist, anti-Islam, anti-crime PVV party.
The latest scandal concerned Marcial Hernandez, who settled last week out of court for assault. Earlier, Eric Lucassen was found to have been convicted of sexual abuse in the army and to have reportedly threatened his neighbors. Yet another allegedly head-butted a waiter in a bar, and another was caught lying on his CV.
“We made mistakes, I made mistakes,” said an apologetic Wilders, who joined the coalition for the first time as a shadow partner in October after his party came out third largest in the June elections. His party received nine seats out of 150 in 2006.
He did not deny that a party with a law-and-order agenda such as his own is more exposed to attacks on this issue. Wilders said he “doesn’t blame the media” for his mistakes, but nonetheless said they mounted a “witch-hunt focused on the PVV.”
Before the elections, Wilders produced a controversial 14-minute film against Islam, which was condemned by the government, socialites and prominent media figures.
“I apologize for what happened not only to my voters but also to all the parliamentarians,” said Wilders, who promised to improve the vetting process for members. “Part of the problem is that we are a new party with new people.”
According to recent polls, the party — which has 24 seats in parliament — has lost some seats after the scandals but is still third strongest, with 94 percent of PVV voters saying they still trust Wilders. “We’re not an opposition party anymore without any ties or responsibilities,” he commented.
But his party is not governing, supporting instead the coalition from outside the government. This, according to Wilders, is because of his views on Islam. Wilders has called to ban the Koran — which he described as comparable to Mein Kampf — and outlaw the building of new mosques.
“We are not in the center of power, but we are in the center of influence,” he said. “Our insistence on our principles is the only reason we’re out of the government and that I’m not the vice premier now, and this gives the freedom to say what I want wherever I want to.”
And that, apparently, is in Israel. On Sunday, Wilders will deliver a speech in which he will outline his vision for Jordan as the Palestinian state.
“In my speech I will show how Jordanian officials themselves called Jordan Palestine, until the 1970s,” he said.
In 2008, Jordanian authorities prosecuted Wilders over his anti-Islam statements for with “blasphemy and contempt of Muslims,” and have summoned the Dutch ambassador to protest Wilders’ policies.
“The Dutch government will have to explain that I am not a part of it and do not represent its policies,” Wilders said when asked if he’s not concerned his statements are damaging his country’s relations with Arab nations. “The Jordanians can learn something about democracy from it.”
Unlike his frequent visits to Israel in the past, he will this time be formally received as a guest of Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman. Wilders has said he was proud to be compared with Lieberman.
A group of left-wing, Dutch-born Israelis are planning to greet Wilders with a demonstration against “the hate-monger from Holland,” as they describe him. A number of “human rights observers from the West Bank” are also planning to demonstrate near Ganei Yehoshua in Tel Aviv, where Wilders will speak.
Upon Wilders’ insistence, Israel became the only foreign country mentioned in the Dutch government’s coalition agreement. Wilders — who lived for two years in Kibbutz Tomer in his youth — demanded that the agreement declare support for Israel.
He said this is changing the Dutch government’s attitude to Israel. He cited the rebuke by the Dutch foreign minister last week of ICCO — a large humanitarian organization which spent public funds on the anti-Israel site The Electronic Intifada.
He also supports closer scrutiny and possible rebuke of the Dutch embassy in Israel. Wilders said he has received reports that the Dutch embassy played a key role in causing the dis-invitation in September of Israeli mayors who planned to visit Holland, because some were from West Bank settlements.
“Foreign Minister Uri Ronsenthal will have to look at what’s happening in the Dutch embassy in Israel,” Wilders said. “Diplomats often make one doubt whether they are promoting Dutch interests or the country where they are posted, or, as in this case, maybe an entity nearby.”
Earlier this year, Haaretz reported the Dutch embassy in Tel Aviv was funding the organization “Breaking the Silence” — which strives to expose and publicize Israeli human rights violations — to the tune of 19,950 euros. Any funding over 20,000 euros requires authorization from the foreign ministry in the Hague, known for its pro-Israel stance.
Hat tip: DF.
11 comments:
Everything about these (leaders-of-europe)( I am not going to properly capitalize the letters of thes country pisses me off. These are some incredibly stupid people. How, and why, did they become such cowards and dhimmis?
Why do Wilders and other anti-Islamization politicians feel they have to uncritically support the Zionist line in regard to the Palestinians?
Israel is fighting its own, quite separate, colonialist war against the Palestinians and is a rather tainted ally in the anti-jihad effort.
I wonder how soon it will be that, because of the Framework Decision, people of the ilk of Wilders and Sabaditsch-Wolff have to seek political asylum in Israel.
Probably much sooner than we think.
… the Palestinians already have a state, and it is called “Jordan”.
If Wilders can succeed in making just this one single idea take hold, his work in defeating Islam will be largely accomplished. Dislodging the "Palestinians" from Israeli soil would represent some of the biggest progress in recent history. Perish the thought that he would ever be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for such a Herculean effort.
I dont think that Wilders feels like he has to support the Jewish State of Israel from its would be anihilators mace. He freely does as a rational human being.
Just letting my mind drift off for a moment, in a possible future, some arsehole castigates another for supporting the colonialist Scandinavians, who have established the Nations of Sweden and Norway again, on land that was conquered by Arab Muslims.
Good Lord!
Next you will be telling me that the Crusades were a colonialist project and not a reaction to Islamic Military Imperialism.
Kevin MacDonald: Geert Wilders' Unrequited Love | The Occidental Observer
mace, you have been eating up too much racist and anti-semitic propaganda. It's quite transparent, so you won't convince anyone. But doing so does make you look bad.
Escape Velocity,Henrik R Clausen,
The world is far more complex than you assume,you're both presenting either straw man or ad hominem arguments. Actually, I agree that the Crusades were a counter attack,but that's irrelevant to the discussion. Israel is in much the same position as apartheid South Africa was,it's only a matter of degree,consequently Wilders' uncritical support of Israel will alienate any potential future Center-Left support. So, unless you want resistance to Islamization to be regarded by social democrats as a right wing obsession, examine your opinions.
The accusation that critics of Israel are 'anti-semitic' is too glib and ultimately counter productive. What do you think was the inspiration for the 'Islamophobia' campaign?
the real question that should be asked is has this affected Wilders and his party, to a point yes but not as much as the left would like to think. The PVV have certainly lost in the opinion polls but they are still polling more than they did before the last election and 95% of the PVV voters said they would vote for the party again if there was an election now. If they did then there would most likely be more PVV members in the Dutch Parliament. The PVV are in it for the long term and the electorate are as not as dumb as the Politicians or the MSM thing or in this case hope they are.
Mace, I nor, dare I say it, Geert Wilders and the PVV seek to woo Anti Semitic Leftwingers as our allies.
The people that severely criticize Israel, also severely criticize European Christians/Nations, in the same hate filled destructive manner.
Kevin McDonald's fatal flaw is equating Israeli Jews with Diaspora Domestic Jews. (Ill forgive the sweeping generalizations in service of weildable discussion).
The vast majority of Diaspora Domestic Jews are certainly in a double bind, advocating for their interests and against the majority White Euor Christian's interests at home, while simultaneously supporting Majority Rights and Interests of a Jewish State in Israel.
However Israeli Jews do not support a weakened enfeebled Euro Christian West.
Furthermore, more and more Jews are fleeing Islam in Europe, and are now actively advocating a ressurgence of Euro Christian Cultural Confidence, see Melanie Philips and many other so called Neo Cons. (Though many US Jewish NeoCons havent travelled the full path yet.)
In fact Israel is a lesson to Jews that majority populations have rights and interests too, and that pursuing those rights and interests is not a crime agaisnt humanity. Protecting territorial integrity and the Jewish nature of a state is not evil...neither is it evil for Euro Christian nations.
Israel is a lesson.
Now many Domestic Jews are turning their backs on Israel, rather seeking their own shallow immediate interests as minorities in Euro Christian lands.
Fascinating, Id say.
But whatever domestic Jews do, it really doesnt matter. I support the Jewish State of Israel, for my own reasons, some more selfish and others more altruistic.
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