Rotterdam Right Of Return Confrence

Haniyah speaks

Amid a rapturous standing ovation Haniya spoke by video link from his Gaza office to the delegates. Haniya affirmed the unity of the Palestinian people in spite of the barriers of geography. He said, "I hoped to attend personally to be close to our brothers who still bear the love of Palestine despite the years and pain of exile." He added, "I wanted to participate, carrying all the love and commitment of Palestine and its people wherever they may be."
The Palestinian Prime Minister thanked the members of the Dutch government who supported his request to attend the conference, saying “this shows that there are still many voices of reason, conscience and solidarity with us."

Ismail Haniya spoke of the unjust and oppressive siege against the Palestinian people and their elected government. He said the one-year blockade had failed to dislodge or force his government to make concessions as they were intended. Instead he paid tribute to the determination of the Palestinian people and the success they had achieved with the signing of the Makka Agreement

The Fifth Palestinians in Europe Conference coincided with the 62 anniversary of the liberation of Holland from Nazi occupation. Haniya used the occasion to note that the Dutch celebration of their liberation constituted a source of strength for the Palestinians to continue struggling to win their own independence.

Fifth Palestinians in Europe Conference: http://www.prc.org.uk/data/aspx/d1/3811.aspx

Netherlands denies entry to a Palestinian Minister Saturday May 05, 2007 12:37 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies
The as Palestinian Youth and Sports Minister, Basim Na’im, landed in Holland as he was on his way to participate in a conference in Belgium; the Dutch Authorities held him on board of the plane and withdrew his visa.
http://www.imemc.org/article/48184

Pro-Palestinian rally on Holland's Liberation Day draws thousands By Cnaan Lifshitz

Thousands of pro-Palestinian protestors gathered in Rotterdam on Netherlands's Liberation Day Saturday to demonstrate against Israel, drawing parallels between the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands during World War II and Israel's occupation of the West Bank. Keynote speaker former Dutch prime minister Dries Van Agt addressed the protestors and voiced his regret over Holland's "biased" pro-Israeli stance and boycott of the Hamas. PA Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, who was denied entry to Belgium and Holland, addressed protestors on a TV screen via a satellite connection. Another Hamas representative, PA Sports Minister Basem Naim, cancelled his participation after he was not allowed to disembark at Brussels' international airport.

"The European and Dutch boycott of Hamas is wrong and even stupid," Van Agt said. "We automatically pardon the occupier and sanction the occupied nation."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/855881.html

Zajel and ROOD Organize a Palestinian Folkloric Exhibition in Holland
http://www.najah.edu/english/news/show.asp?key=179