International

The Israeli government's reaction to the seizure of three of the country's soldiers threatens to put a torch to the whole of the Middle East. In bombing civilian targets, Israel is contravening international treaties and has chosen a course of action which does not serve its own security needs. This must stop, and immediately. The Netherlands, the European Union and the United Nations must not sit passively watching the further destruction of the Lebanon and the total repression of the Palestinian people. It is high time that sanctions were imposed on Israel. On Saturday, a demonstration will take place in Amsterdam against the war and the destruction of the Palestinian areas and the Lebanon.

SP Member of Parliament and foreign affairs spokesman Harry van Bommel is urging the Netherlands to follow France and Russia in condemning Israeli attacks on civilian targets in the Lebanon. In addition, the European Union must immediately suspend the Association Agreement with Israel, he says. “The bombing of the airport and a TV station is in conflict with international law and failure to condemn these acts would mean that the Netherlands was giving tacit support to them.”