Netherlands bars Israeli mayors of West Bank settlements from taking part in Dutch study trip By The Associated Press (CP) – 2 hours ago
JERUSALEM — An Israeli mayors group said Sunday that the Dutch government refused to let heads of West Bank settlements take part in a delegation of mayors in the Netherlands.
The Dutch Foreign Ministry said the government was not involved, and the decision to bar the settler mayors seemed to have been made solely by a group called the Association of Dutch Cities. Nonetheless, the barring of the settler mayors is part of a widening circle of protests against Israel over its settlement policy.
The Union of Local Authorities in Israel said 40 mayors planned a professional study trip to the Netherlands in October, but on Sunday the Union said its Dutch counterpart said the five settler mayors in the delegation could not take part.
In response, all 40 Israeli mayors cancelled their trips.
Union spokeswoman Linda Sasson said this program has taken place in various countries in the past, but this was the first time settler mayors have been barred.
Arjen Konijnenberg, spokesman for the Association of Dutch Cities, said his organization received a request to organize a visit from Israeli mayors, including heads of West Bank settlements. "We said we weren't prepared to do that. It's too politically sensitive," he told The Associated Press.
"There are all kinds of international negotiations and initiatives going on right now about the West Bank settlements," Konijnenberg added. "We don't want to interfere with that, or create an initiative that's going to wind up in the news negatively."
Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations resumed earlier this month, but expiration of a partial construction freeze in the settlements at the end of the month could be a threat to their continuation.
