Dutch parliament narrowly passes motion to criminalise pro-Palestinian chant: ‘From the River to the Sea’
The Dutch parliament has adopted a narrowly-passed motion to criminalise the chant “From the River to the Sea”.
The motion, which was passed with the smallest of margins of 74-73 in the lower house of the Dutch Parliament, the Tweede Kamer.
It was tabled by Maikel Boon, a lawmaker for Geert Wilders’ Party for Freedom, which recently reached a deal to form the most right-wing government in the Netherlands in decades.
Even though it is not binding in Dutch courts, it is the strongest official document since widespread pro-Palestine protests began.
Wilders has previously pledged his full support to Israel in the war in Gaza. After meeting Israeli president Isaac Herzog back in March, he said: “I told him I am proud that he visits the Netherlands and that Israel has, and always will have, my full support in its fight against terror.”
The motion describes the chant, which in full is “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”, as coming “right off the Hamas charter and is therefore a call for violence against all Jews worldwide”.
The slogan refers to the contested region between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. The area includes Israel, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Some have interpreted it as an appeal to Palestinian nationalism, whilst others have used it to call for a Palestinian state over the entire area – thus eradicating Israel.
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The passing of the motion comes after Wilders announced plans earlier this month to bring together outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s centre-right VVD, the new NSC party and farmers’ protest party BBB in a coalition. Under the agreement, Wilders will not become prime minister.
Talks about a coalition have been going on for months since Wilders’ election victory on November 22.
“We have an agreement among negotiators,” Wilders said.
He said discussions for a suitable Prime Minister candidate would be “picked up at a later moment” after he forfeited the position in a bid to get the parties to come together.
Pieter Omtzigt, leader of the centrist NSC party said: “We’re going to form a government.
“We’ll wait and see who Wilders proposes as a prime minister candidate.”
In February, MPs in the UK condemned a projection of the chant that was blasted onto Big Ben.
Whilst the Met Police decided it did not constitute an offence, some MPs disagreed and spoke out about a rise of antisemitism in the UK.
Andrew Percy, a Conservative backbencher, voiced concerns about the “genocidal call”.
Speaking to the Commons, Percy said he feels safer in Israel than he does in the UK.