Dutch government refuses Palestinian PM entry
17/04/2007| IslamWeb
The fifth conference for Palestinians in Europe taking place in the Dutch city of Rotterdam in May 2007 will have to continue without the presence of Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh. The conference is being seen by many as a practical step by Palestinian refugees in Europe to break the siege imposed on the Palestinian people.
The Dutch government, however, have refused to issue Prime Minister Haniyeh a visa, stating, "We will not issue him a visa, as the European Union considers Hamas, to which [Prime Minister] Haniyeh is affiliated, a terrorist group."
A spokesperson of the Dutch ministry of foreign affairs declared that Haniyeh's office contacted the Dutch government in order to learn about the necessary documents for a visa application.
Reuters quoted the Dutch spokesperson as saying, "Haniyeh will not be issued a visa if he applies formally, because the EU labels Hamas a terrorist organization." He added, "this also applies to the Hamas-affiliated ministers"
The General Secretariat of the Palestinians in Europe Conference has announced that the fifth conference will host several Palestinian dignitaries in addition to Prime Minister Haniyeh, including both Muslim and Christian figures.
The spokesperson of the Prime Minister's office, Dr Ghazi Hamad, said that a number of Dutch parties have made contact, inviting Prime Minister Haniyeh to visit the capital of the Netherlands in The Hague, and also the famed city of Amsterdam.
Dr Hamad, however, also reported that Prime Minister Haniyeh had not received any formal invitation from the Dutch government to visit Holland in order to take part in the celebrations commemorating their independence day.
The conference, which commemorates the 59th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba [“catastrophe”] will be held on Saturday, 5th May 2007 with the slogan, "Despite distance and pain…we are one people with evident right."
Thousands of Palestinians from every part of the European continent will take part in the conference.
Eminent Palestinian delegations and figures
Due to the success achieved over the previous four conferences, this year’s conference will host Palestinian dignitaries from inside and outside Europe including Palestine-based and Diaspora leaders, intellectuals, writers, artists and decision makers. Furthermore, numerous Palestinian institutions, organizations and unions from all over Europe will also participate.
Among the distinguished participants will be the head of the higher Islamic association, and the imam of the Al-Aqsa mosque, Dr 'Ikrima Sabri; Archbishop Atallah Hanna; the second deputy speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council Dr Hasan Khreisha; the former Palestinian minister of tourism Juda Murqus; the undersecretary of the Palestinian ministry of women’s affairs, Rihab Shubeir; the head of the British Islamic initiative, Muhammad Sawalha; humanitarian activist Ghassan Salih and the director of the Jaffa center, Tayseer Nasrallah. The conference will also host the Moroccan parliamentarian and academic, Dr Al-Muqri Al-Idrisi.
Conference organisers aim to commemorate the 59th anniversary of the Nakba, to reaffirm adherence to the Palestinian right of return in accordance with the decisions taken at the London, Berlin, Vienna and Malmo conferences. The conveners will also be supporting the steadfastness of the Palestinians in the occupied territories and will support efforts to realize Palestinian national unity.
In the Netherlands, the date of the conference, Saturday 5th May, has been designated "Freedom Day", marking the 62nd anniversary of the liberation of Holland from Nazi occupation.
PHOTO CAPTION
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of the Islamic group Hamas, holds a Palestinian boy, in traditional clothes, as he attends a religious ceremony in Gaza City, Sunday April 15, 2007. (AP)
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