Dutch FM Lobbies for Israeli Membership EU
Where would I be without Holly? No where. Today she sent me a link to the following article: Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen “has pledged to lobby the EU member states to admit Israel to its ranks.”
Although Verhagen is a member of the wrong party, the CDA (Christian Democrats), I’m quite a fan. He’s hawkish, pro-free market and pro-Israel. Aside from that, he’s probably the smartest and most savvy politician in the Netherlands. If only he were a member of the VVD…
Anyway, perhaps it’s good that he’s a member of the CDA: he’s the leader of its conservative (rightwing) flank. He keeps Balkenende and the other CDA leaders in check.
Verhagen, who met on Tuesday with President Shimon Peres, said that it was very important to him that Israel become a member of the EU because Israel succeeds in maintaining democracy, stability and freedom under extremely difficult conditions.
Verhagen, who also visited Sderot on Tuesday, condemned the ongoing attacks from Gaza and said that no government in the world could accept a situation in which its citizens were being fired at all the time.
The Hamas leadership, he said, would be persona non grata in the international community for as long as it persisted with its policy of assault.
See what I mean?
This is a Foreign Minister like we didn’t have for years. Decades even. The French have Sarkozy, the Dutch have Verhagen. He’s tough on terrorism and isn’t willing to cut Hamas et al. any slack.
As for Israel in Europe: technically Israel’s probably not Europe, but who cares? They participate, like Turkey, in the European Championships soccer; you can’t get more European than that. Not only that, Israel is also a prosperous, stable democracy. The only one - aside from Turkey - in the region even. We need to support Israel whenever and wherever we can. Having Israel join the EU would be great for the EU and for Israel. It would give Israel some very necessary protection.
O, and if Turkey also joins, we have a Jewish nation-state and a Muslim nation-state in the EU, aside from all the Christian ones. That would be great for Europe, and it would be a clear message to the world that democracies can get along just fine; be they Muslims, Jews or Christians.
Is there any chance of this happening? I’d say more than most anticipate. Why? France would probably support it, same goes for Britain. And Germany? It’s likely that Germany will support it as well, if for nothing else than out of guilt.
I think you may even be underestimating the unintended side beenfit: if Israel were to join the EU, all of the arguments about Turkey being "in Asia, not Europe" would go right out the window. At least <i>part</i> of Turkey is actually in Europe; which cannot be said of Israel.
Of course, that argument is little but a (not very persuasive) cover from ethnic and religious prejudice. But it would be amusing to see those who have been making it scramble to come up with a replacement to hide behind.
P.S. And once the wall is breached, could Georgia be far behind?
If Israel joined the EU, what would stop vast numbers of the EU’s Muslims from moving there and forcibly changing its character from a Jewish state to a Muslim one? Just as if Turkey joined, what would stop a few million of Turkey’s Muslims from changing a small Christian country like Denmark into a Muslim one? I think you do not understand the Islamic religion very well. Territorialism is built into their religious beliefs. They even consider Muslim cemetaries in infidel countries to be "Muslim land." You have no clue about what is at stake. Besides, I doubt if Israel would be interested in becoming part of the Eurabian Ummah. They’ve already been there, done that, and it wasn’t nice being dhimies the first time.
Michael, the VVD is more right wing than the CDA.
Also, both israel and Morroc applied for EU membership. Both wishes were rejected. You know: if you join the EU you can neever leave and second, if you are rejected you can not apply again.
Start reading Bernard Bouwman his book ‘Mijn Istanboel’ and he is at least twice a week on NOS and writes for NRC…
With all your good intentions, your knowledge of the Turkish society is still small. Not one Dutch person, or Finnish, or Swiss, ar whoever would makee statements like you about the so many conflicts the Turks are involved especially Armenia!
regards