Jordan is Palestine

The Iconoclast
Sunday, 20 June 2010

Geert Wilders says Jordan is Palestine

Even before the dust settles on formation of a ruling coaliton in the Netherlands, Geert Wilders has created a stir with a logical solution to the Gordian knot of a Middle East Settlement: declare the Kingdom of Jordan as an 'alternative homeland' for Palestine. This should bring a smile to the face of Israeli MK Arieh Eldad and a frown from the Obama Administration Special Envoy, George Mitchell. We are sure that the Nethanyahu government in Jerusalem will stay mum on this suggestion, although most Israelis would tacitly agree. I know that Professor Raphael Israeli, who spoke last night at the New English Revew Symposium in Nashville might approve of this trial balloon. Like former Spanish PM Jose Maria Aznar, Wilders is a solid European friend of Israel. The Kingdom of Jordan has already lodged a firm objection and expression of outrage at Wilders comments. But then as we recall, a Court in Jordan had issued an Interpol arrest warrant for Wilders on grounds of blaspheming Islam with his film Fitna. Will this jeopardize Wilders' PVV (Freedom Party) membership in the new conservative ruling coalition in the Hague Parliament? Wth a tally of 24 seats, nearly a trebling of its previous position, the PVV is in the literal catbird seat. Stay tuned.

Note what this Ynet article, "Geert Wilders: Change Jordan's name to Palestine".

Geert Wilders, who leads the right-wing Party for Freedom (PVV) in Holland, said last week he believes Jordan should be renamed Palestine. The Jordanian government responded by saying Wilders' speech was reminiscent of the Israeli right wing.



"Jordan is Palestine," said Wilders, who heads the third-largest party in Holland. "Changing its name to Palestine will end the conflict in the Middle East and provide the Palestinians with an alternate homeland."



Wilders added that Israel deserved a special status in the Dutch government because it was fighting for Jerusalem in its name.



"If Jerusalem falls into the hands of the Muslims, Athens and Rome will be next. Thus, Jerusalem is the main front protecting the West. It is not a conflict over territory but rather an ideological battle, between the mentality of the liberated West and the ideology of Islamic barbarism," he said.



"There has been an independent Palestinian state since 1946, and it is the kingdom of Jordan." Wilders also called on the Dutch government to refer to Jordan as Palestine and move its embassy to Jerusalem.



The Saudi Al-Watan carried Jordan's response to Wilders' speech. The kingdom's embassy in Hague was outraged, and said the Dutch ambassador would soon be summoned to explain.



Jordan's minister for media affairs and communications, Nabil Al Sharif, asked for clarifications. He described Wilders' declaration as "an echo of the voice of the Israeli Right" and "crows' screams".



"Jordan is an independent and secure country which supports the Palestinian issue, and these imaginings of finding them an alternate homeland are nothing but the delusions of a few people," he said.