By Soraya Sepahpour-Ulrich

The Dutch have much to be ashamed of.  Their shame is so closely associated to guilt that they have abandoned honor at the exclusion of their own constitution.   Education Minister Ronald Plasterk, with disregard for article 11^[[1]] of the Dutch constitution has banned Iranians and Dutch students of Iranian descent from five locations and nine fields of study.   Mortified by their shameful actions against the Jews during Nazi Germany, the Dutch seek to redeem themselves and relieve their guilt by punishing Iranians in order to appease and show their support for Israel.    Taking orders from ghosts of the past, they pin the Star on Iranians and once again embellish humanity with disgrace.

Always hospitable to the Jews, the Netherlands could not withstand the Nazi pressure during the war and 107,000 of the 143,000 Jews were exported but not before they were stripped of all status and a star with "Jew" written was pinned on them.  Germany had ordered these heinous acts and the Dutch had complied.  The horrendous failure and apathy of the bystanders and their blatant disregard for the fate of Jews is testimony to depravity; government officials who had their status challenged by an outsider, simply caved in.  Even the Dutch Red Cross turned its back on the Jews.   Admittedly, many Dutch citizens gave refuge to the Jews and for their assistance during the war years they have been "honored by the Israeli Holocaust memorial center of Yad Vashem"[2].

It appears that the Dutch need for redemption has become self-defeating and costly.  As an example, in spite of the United Nations resolutions 242 and 338 stipulating that Israel must withdraw completely from lands gained in the 1967 war, the Dutch supported the policy of  Israel retaining most of the land gained in the 1967 war.  No doubt the Netherlands' irrevocable backing of Israel caused it to be subject to an oil embargo in 1973.   The Untied States is the other unconditional supporter of Israel.

Once again, this unconditional support has caused the Dutch to overlook not only their  own constitution, but common law.  While during WWII the government officials had their status challenged by Nazi Germany and chose loathsome cooperation to resistance, in a loathsome repetition of the past, Dutch officials are once again rendered impotent by their own weakness and wantonness; the golden eye of justice is blinded as they serve those they should have assisted decades ago.   Bringing shame to their country, the Dutch are once again displaying their aptitude for decadence.

As Desmond Tutu eloquently said: "We cannot allow ourselves to become like the system we oppose."  Inaction is being a part of the system that is putting the Star of discrimination on Iranian students.  They need assistance to challenge it.  Please contact iraansestudenten@gmail.com: www.IraanseStudenten.nl
 

[1] http://www.helplinelaw.com/law/netherlands/constitution/constitution01.php

... Payvand News - 10/13/08 ...

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