The Netherlands and Israel agree over Middle East, Iran: Netanyahu

The Netherlands and Israel take the same position on the Middle East conflict and the threat presented by a nuclear Iran, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is quoted as saying by the NRC.


Netanyahu is on a two-day visit to the Netherlands and made the comments in a speech at the newly-renovated Portuguese synagogue in Amsterdam on Wednesday evening, the paper said.
In the speech, Netanyahu said the Netherlands and Israel agree about solving the Middle East conflict and he personally invited Palestinian president Abbas to revive peace talks as soon as possible, the paper said.
And he thanked the Netherlands for supporting sanctions against Iran, restating his position that a nuclear Iran is a threat to the region and the world.
Reward
It is the first time in 15 years that an Israeli prime minister has visited the Netherlands, and the trip is being seen as a reward for Dutch support for Israel in recent years.
Netanyahu is due to meet prime minister Mark Rutte and queen Beatrix on Thursday.
Meanwhile, economic affairs minister Maxime Verhagen has announced that the Netherlands is sending a trade mission to Israel later this year. Dutch exports to Israel total some €1bn on an annual basis, mainly electrical equipment and cars.
The Netherlands, in turn, is Israel’s second biggest European export destination, importing goods to the value of €2.1bn, largely medicine, computers, fruit and vegetables, the ministry said.
Photo: Rein van Zanen/Novum
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