AMSTERDAM, 20/01/09 - Three attacks have been made on synagogues in the Netherlands in the past few days, says the Centre for Information and Documentation on Israel (CIDI). The government is to provide clarification of the incidents in the Lower House today.
On Sunday morning, persons unknown started a small fire in an auction house in Amsterdam with a Molotov cocktail. A synagogue located in the same building was "undoubtedly" the intended target, CIDI director Ronny Naftaniel said yesterday. "There are Hebrew texts above the door of the building," he explained.
Naftaniel said that earlier last week, the windows of a synagogue in Haaksbergen were broken. Additionally, persons unknown have tried to set fire to a synagogue in Arnhem, the CIDI director added.
Party for Freedom (PVV) leader Geert Wilders will ask Home Affairs Minister Guusje ter Horst and Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin during today's Question Time what exactly has happened in the past week and how the police have responded to this. The PVV is demanding immediate protection for all Jewish buildings.
According to Naftaniel, it is necessary for the government to protect Jewish buildings better. "The police do carry out surveillance, but we think that there should be permanent guards stationed by the buildings (...) Up to now, things have gone reasonably well, but the incidents are unacceptable. If a synagogue goes up in flames shortly, it is too late."
Naftaniel earlier already complained that the police were giving the signal that "threatening Jews is tolerated". He was referring to officers "standing by and looking on" during the yelling of anti-Semitic slogans during demonstrations in Dutch cities, such as the slogan "Hamas, Jews to the gas-chamber." Naftaniel is awaiting a response from Justice Minister Hirsch Ballin to a letter he sent him.
The entire Lower House last week embraced a motion calling on the government to take action against anti-Semitism expressed during demonstrations. A motion asking for anti-Islamic slogans to be prosecuted as well was also adopted, but by a narrower majority, as some parties considered the motion irrelevant. Anti-Islamic slogans have not been heard, said the conservatives (VVD), Party for Freedom (PVV) and Christian parties ChristenUnie and SGP.
On Sunday, two thousand demonstrated in The Hague against the Israeli actions in Gaza, according to police. Turkish mosque organisation Milli Gorus, a co-organiser, estimated the turnout at 7,000. A number of Imams gave speeches. The police said the demonstration went off peacefully.
On Saturday, some 250 demonstrators in Amsterdam threw shoes at a picture of Premier Jan Peter Balkenende. " Pictures of Israeli President Ehud Olmert, outgoing US President George Bush and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak were also pelted with shoes. "The demonstration went off peacefully," according to a police spokesman. In Islamic countries, throwing shoes is an expression of scorn.
