ICCO will not change policy after discussion with Dutch foreign minister

PRESSRELEASE

Thursday the 13^th of January ICCO discussed its funding of the website The Electronic Intifada with Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Uri Rosenthal. It was a tough and straightforward discussion, but ICCO sees no reason to change its policy. International law is the main guideline for ICCO's work.

According the Minister, the site offers a platform for the call for boycott of Israel. Supporting this website is therefore, in the Minister's view, diametrically opposed to Dutch foreign policy. ICCO disagrees with the Minister on this.

Since 2005, more than 170 Palestinian and some Israeli organisations haved called for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israeli policy. The purpose is for Israel to comply with International law and respect human rights. This pressure is justified as the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories continue. It is a peaceful and legal way to push for an end to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and to achieve a peaceful and just solution.

Background

In 2004, the International Court of Justice in The Hague declared that the wall built by Israel is illegal as it is constructed mostly within occupied Palestinian territories. The court further confirmed the illegality of the Israeli settlements. The court called on countries not to render assistance to the construction of the wall. This verdict was affirmed by the UN General Assembly (A/RES/ES-10/15 of 20 July 2004). The Netherlands voted in favour of this resolution.

In spite of the verdict of the court and many UN resolutions, Israel continues to build the wall as well as settlements.

ICCO itself has not endorsed this call for boycott. Almost all Palestinian civil society organisations and some Israeli ones have endorsed the call. Among them are organisations which receive support from ICCO, but also from other Dutch organisations as well as from the ministry itself. ICCO supports the Kairos Document in which Palestinian Christians call to exert more pressure on Israel's policy.

For ICCO, international law and international humanitarian conventions are its main guidelines. Article 90 of the Dutch constitution states: "The government promotes the development of the international legal order".

ICCO stands for human rights and international law in all its countries of intervention whether it concerns Sudan, Congo, Guatemala or the Middle East. ICCO therefore calls on both the Palestinian and Israeli authorities to respect human rights. ICCO aspires, together with its Palestinian and Israeli partners for a sustainable and just peace for everyone: Palestinians as well as Israelis.

It is a good custom in the Netherlands for civil organisations to make their own decisions. ICCO therefore doesn't see reason to change its policy.

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