Arab states condemn Geert Wilders over anti-Palestine comments

Arab states have denounced Dutch politician Geert Wilders over his anti-Palestine remarks following Israel's genocidal war on Gaza.

Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, and the Arab League on Saturday condemned the recent statement by the anti-Islam parliamentarian, who called for the displacement of the Palestinian people to neighboring Jordan.

Palestine condemned the “racist” statements made by Wilders, whose Islamophobic far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) aims to form the next coalition government in the Netherlands after winning 37 seats in the 150-seat lower house of parliament this week.

“The Palestinian Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the racist inflammatory statements by Dutch parliamentarian Geert Wilders, in which he denied the rights of the Palestinian people, especially their right to establish their independent state with East al-Quds as its capital, and called for their displacement to Jordan,” the official Palestinian news agency Wafa quoted a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry based in Ramallah, the West Bank, as saying.

The Ministry called Wilders’ statements “a call to escalate the aggression against our people, and a blatant interference in their affairs and fate,” adding that "the Palestinian people have demonstrated the depth of their steadfastness in their homeland.”

The Ministry called on the Dutch government to “condemn and reject” Wilders' statements, “in line with international law and international legitimacy.”

Similarly, Jordan condemned the “racist position” taken by Wilders denying Palestinians’ right to freedom.

The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Yemen also followed suit, issuing separate statements denouncing Wilders.

In one statement, the UAE Embassy in the Netherlands said, “The UAE stands in full solidarity with brotherly Jordan, and stresses the importance of respecting its sovereignty. It also rejects any denial of the rights of the brotherly Palestinian people and their right to an independent state.”

Earlier on Friday, the Arab League had condemned the anti-Palestine remarks by Wilders, who won a major victory in the Nov. 22 Dutch elections.

ME