Press Release
In Response to Foreign Affairs Minister Frans Timmermans on Gaza

In reaction to the Jewish bomb attacks on Gaza, the Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans commented that ‘Israel' has the full right to defend itself proportionally. He even added that the Palestinians are mainly responsible for the escalation of violence in the Gaza strip. "Hamas fired off missiles. The current misery caused by the ‘Israeli' bomb attacks can therefore be blamed on Hamas." In other words the minister is saying: "It is the fault of the Palestinians, because they started!"

A comment like this one is expected from the Dutch government. Because they are known for their unconditional love and support to the illegal Jewish entity and this has been proven throughout the years again and again. However, what remains disturbing is the rhetoric used by the Dutch government.

What does the minister intend with the use of violence ‘proportionally'? That an army with advanced weapons, long-distance missiles, cluster bombs, airplanes and a strongly equipped army can go all out against oppressed people who have no military advancement, except for self-fabricated Qassam-missiles? Or does the minister call the Jewish military attack of 2009 ‘within proportion', where 1400 Palestinians were murdered in Gaza against only 13 ‘Israelis'? About which ‘proportionally' defence are we actually speaking about?

And whenever the Jewish entity initiates a military attack on the Palestinian people, a prevailing response follows, that the Jewish entity only responded to the missiles from the Palestinian side. The question remains however; to which extent is the minister correct in stating that the Palestinians initiated the present violence? In fact, when we examine documented reports about what really did occur before the attack, then we see a total different reality. We see that, days before the large-scale military attack of the Jewish entity on Gaza, the Jewish army killed 23 year old Ahmed Nahbani, who was mentally handicapped, because he appeared to be too close to the ‘Israeli' borders.

On the 8th of November, the ‘Israeli' occupying power entered the south of Gaza with 8 tanks and 4 bulldozers and shot the 13 year old Ahmed Younis Khader Abu Daqqa in his stomach, while he was just playing football with his friends. He passed away not long after.

On the 10th of November, there were again 4 Palestinian children killed; 16 year old Muhammad Ussama Hassan Harara, 17 year old Ahmed Mustafa Khaled Harara, 18 year old Ahmed Kamal Al-Dirdissawi, 19 year old Matar ‘Emad ‘Abdur-Rahman Abu al-‘Ata. Please note that the last two were killed during the burial ceremony of the first two. Furthermore, 10 civilians were severely injured.

On the 11th of November, a Palestinian civilian was shot dead and 30 were injured. On the 14th of November, the leader of Hamas Ahmed Jabari was murdered in broad daylight by an air attack, together with 10 other Palestinians, amongst whom were an 11-month old baby and a pregnant women expecting twins.

So this argument of Minister Timmersmans stating that the Palestinians initiated the violence has no weight at all. But when one still chooses to discuss this matter in terms of ‘who started the violence first,' I would like to refer Timmermans to 1948, when the Jews - with permission of the west - occupied Palestine, slaughtered its inhabitants and drove the mass away!

Whether the west accepts this or not; the Jewish entity is and will remain an illegal occupying power and the only solution for this conflict and spilling of blood is the liberation of Palestine from its occupier. This is the solution for the problem of Palestine according to millions of Muslims. And if we elaborate on the Islamic sentiments, the recent developments within the Middle-East and the rest of the Islamic world, this will take place within foreseeable time.

Okay Pala
Media Representative of Hizb-ut Tahrir Netherlands