[Published 3 April 2016]
The European Union has been increasingly expressing its growing antagonism towards Israel by
1. imposing specific labelling laws for goods produced by Jews emanating from Judea and Samaria (the West Bank)Positions such as these taken by the European Union – coupled with a growing tide of Jew-hatred in Europe during the past decade - create an atmosphere of hostility towards the Jewish State and can legitimise public expressions of opinion in Europe that would otherwise have been deemed politically incorrect and subjected to widespread criticism.
2. building structures in Area C of Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) without consent or authorisation by Israel - which exercises full administrative and security control over this area under the Oslo Accords to which the European Union is a signatory.
A case in point seems most likely to have occurred following the tragic events in Brussels on March 22 when 32 people were killed and 340 wounded in two terrorist attacks at Brussels Zaventem airport terminal and the city’s underground metro system.
Belgium’s federal hotline - set up by the Belgian Interior Ministry to take calls after these attacks - has fired an operator who told a caller that Israel does not exist and should be called Palestine instead.
The caller told the operator that he was a volunteer for the city of Antwerp’s Jewish Coordination Committee.
Their message was recorded and the full English translated transcript follows:
XXX: Good afternoon, my name is XXX, I am a volunteer in the Jewish coordination committee of Antwerp. We are contacted by persons… we have 2 persons of the Jewish community that were hurt in the attacks in the airport
Crisis Centre: Yes sir
XXX: They are prepared to be transported back to Israel. Our volunteers are busy with it and take care of everything but we received information from the hospital that we need special papers from the police that they can be released. Is this correct and to who should we ask that? Can you tell me more about that?
CC: That is effectively.. I will take a look. So … they go back to Palestine.
XXX: Not Palestine, Israel.
CC: Yes, but that was before Palestine, of course. OK
XXX: Could you repeat that again, please? What is the name?
CC: That … Palestine.
XXX: Can I get your name, please?
CC: Of course, Zakaria.
XXX: And you know only Palestine?
CC: Sorry?
XXX: You don’t know Israel, only Palestine?
CC: I know the Jews went to there, that Palestine received (opvangen) them and that there is a war between Israel and Palestine, of course. And the occupation… that’s what’s on the news of course.
XXX: Can you help me with the question I have, or not?
CC: Naturally, of course. Thus they go back to Palestine and ask that they could get an attestation. Voila, it is noted.
XXX: Can I have you name again, I didn’t understand it well.
CC: Zakaria
XXX: Zakaria?
CC: That is correct.
XXX: Zakaria what? What is your last name?
CC: I am not obliged to give it.
XXX: OK
XXX; Thank you very much.
CC: You’re welcome. Bye
Jac Vermeer – CEO of IPG - the company which had the contract to run the hotline for the Belgian Interior Ministry - issued this pathetic apology:
“We wish to apologize to all members of the Jewish community and to the victims and their families in Israel,”
No expression of outrage has been issued by the Belgian Interior Ministry or the Belgian Government.
Not a peep from the European Union or European Commission.
The PLO and Hamas must be overjoyed.
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