POSSIBLE FIRST EU-VISIT HAMAS LEADER HANIYEH

The Palestinian prime minister and leader of Hamas Ismail Haniyeh might visit The Netherlands next month. He is the main guest on the fifth Palestinian-European Conference in the 5th of May in Rotterdam. The plan was made public by the spokeswoman of the organising Palestinian Platform last Friday.

According to the spokeswoman the Palestinian authorities confirmed that the prime minister will attend the conference. According to the Palestinian Platform the request for a visa is submitted at the Dutch ministry of Foreign Affairs ten days ago. It is unclear if the request for a visa will be recognized.

The Palestinian organisation Hamas is mentioned on the European list of terrorist organisations. This is the reason why until now the EU-ministers refuse any contact with Hamas officials. Recently Hamas forms a government of national unity with the organisation Fatah from the Palestinian president Abbas. A few important posts, among which the Ministries of finance and Internal Affairs, are occupied by independent technocrats. Until now prime minister Haniyeh never visited any of the EU-states.

Via his spokesman the Dutch minister of Foreign Affairs already declared earlier that he is no supporter of the coming of the Palestinian prime minister. The Minister stated yesterday that he wants to prevent Haniyeh from coming to The Netherlands. The main discussion point on the conference is the fate of Palestinian refugees. more features

April 17, 2007