Jordan summons Dutch ambassador to protest remarks by far-right MP Wilders

The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced yesterday, Thursday, that it had summoned the Dutch ambassador to the Kingdom in protest against statements by far-right parliamentarian Geert Wilders, which it considered a "denial of the rights of the Palestinian people, and a racist position that imagines that the Palestinian issue can be resolved at Jordan's expense."

The ministry said in a statement that it "summoned the Dutch ambassador in Amman on Thursday evening to the ministry headquarters, to convey a strongly worded message of protest to his government following the statements made by the Dutch right-wing extremist Geert Wilders."

She considered that these statements "are consistent with the condemned decision issued by the Israeli Knesset yesterday (Thursday morning), which aims to deny the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to an independent and sovereign state on its national soil, and his statements reflect a racist position that imagines the possibility of resolving the Palestinian issue at Jordan's expense."

Wilders claims that “the establishment of a Palestinian state in the heart of the land of Israel would constitute an existential threat to Israel and its citizens, would perpetuate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and would destabilize the region.”

The Jordanian Foreign Ministry stated that "the Dutch ambassador in Amman was informed of a letter of protest to be immediately conveyed to his government, including a demand that the Dutch government take a clear position condemning these statements that contradict the friendly relations and mutual respect between the two countries."

She pointed out that "the inflammatory statements made by this racist parliamentarian are worthless and have no legal effect, represent a violation of international law, and reflect a culture of racist hatred that must be fought."

Wilders, a far-right extremist known for his hostility to Islam, has repeatedly made statements denying the rights of the Palestinian people, especially their right to establish their own independent, sovereign state, with the possibility of resolving the Palestinian issue at Jordan's expense.