ROTTERDAM (PIC)– Despite canceling his visa and denying him entry to Holland PA Youth and Sports minister Dr. Basim Naim has addressed the conference on Palestinian refugees in Europe in the Dutch city of Rotterdam via telephone where he urged the participants to cling to their Palestinian identity amid overwhelming applause from the attendance.
During his speech the PA minister explained circumstances of his seizure by the Belgian police that prevented him from proceeding to Holland in spite of having valid visa on his passport.
According to Naim the Belgian authorities dealt with him in an “inappropriate and provocative manner” alleging he is a “national security threat” and engaged him in verbal argument that ended with banning him entry and returning him on the same plane back to Cairo.
Nevertheless Naim affirmed that the “shocking” behavior of the Dutch and Belgian authorities weren’t reflecting the pulse of the peoples of those two European countries affirming that the decision of denying him entry was spurred by a political will hostile to the Palestinian people.
In addition Naim confirmed the Palestinian people were and still are determined to achieve their independence and their freedom as any other people under occupation pointing out that the Palestinian issue is now before a “serious political curve”.
The audience interrupted Naim’s enthusiastic speech with overwhelming applause as he called on them to remain loyal to their Palestinian identity and to work hard to rally the European people behind the just Palestinian question and to help break the unjust economic siege on the Palestinian people.
In a swift response the participants raised 180000 dollars and allocated it for the construction of youth and sport center in the Shati refugee camp in Gaza Strip.
A couple of days ago Naim was on his way to the Netherlands upon an invitation of the Palestinian community there to attend a conference on the Palestinian refugees’ right of return; but he was banned from leaving his plane at Brussels airport upon the request of the Dutch government alleging that the visa was given by “mistake”.
The PA unity government condemned the ill-treatment of Naim by the Belgian authorities and described it as a flagrant violation of international protocols.
