Eindhoven politics is struggling with the call from action group Eindhoven4Palestine to speak out against human rights violations and war crimes in Gaza. That is the conclusion after an emotional debate on Tuesday evening, during which the stomachache was palpable for all involved.
“We are happy to vote in favour of the motion, but we do not want the debate to give the impression that we are letting others down with this,” D66 parliamentary group leader Jorien Migchielsen explained her struggle.
Several parties are struggling with these mixed feelings . “A vote against this call feels like a vote against them to the Muslim community. But a vote for the motion is perceived by the Jewish/Israeli community as a vote against them,” said Volt faction leader Jacco Rubenkamp.
Before the parties debated, there was room for six speakers to tell what the proposal of Eindhoven4Palestine does to them. One of them was Nuh Abbud of the Palestinian community: “The silence from your side hurts. Do we really belong?”, Abbud wondered out loud. “The conversation started too late, but now is the chance to make a difference. Working together on a city that listens.” The Eindhoven Palestinian called on the city council to stand by the Palestinian community.
Disbelief and fear
Max Loewenstein, spokesperson for the Jewish community in the city, spoke in turn of having taken note of the motion ‘in disbelief and fear’. “This proposal puts tension on various population groups in the city.” Loewenstein said that Jewish children do not dare to wear a yarmulke and that his daughter walks around with the phone number of the police in her pocket.
‘Clear as a bell’
According to the Party for the Animals, however, the call from Eindhoven4Palestine is as ‘clear as day’. “We find it serious that the intentions of the submitters are being questioned,” says committee member Judith Lammers. According to her, the motion is not complicated: “It states that human rights apply to everyone. We should not interpret this differently.”
Harmful
SP councillor Jannie Visscher wanted to know from the city council whether adopting the motion could be harmful. “I do not think the motion is harmful, but we have also heard from the speakers tonight how the motion is received and understood. This means that it does not contribute to keeping the conversation and the connection going,” responded mayor Jeroen Dijsselbloem.
Position
The mayor indicated that he had expressed his sympathy and abhorrence of the violence at several open and closed meetings over the past year. “The claim that the city government has not taken a position on this for a year is not correct.”
On Tuesday, February 25, the Eindhoven city council will vote on the citizen motion.
Source: Studio040
For Eindhoven News: Lila Mehrez
