Province tells water firm to work with Israel, calls shareholders meeting

The provincial council in Overijssel has passed a motion calling on regional water company Vitens to resume working with Israeli firm Mekorot.

The province is one of the shareholders in the state-owned company. The motion, put forward by the anti-Islam PVV, was approved by 28 votes to 17 and supported by the VVD Liberals, Christian Democrats and minor Christian parties.

 

Vitens pulled out of its agreement to work with Israeli state-owned Mekorot at the end of last year because of the company’s projects in the occupied territories.

 

The motion states: ‘It is ridiculous that Vitens has taken such a decision on the basis of political considerations. A public company such as Vitens, which has a monopoly of service, cannot carry out foreign politics.’

 

A similar motion was put to the vote in Gelderland province but did not get majority support.

 

On December 19, Israel’s ambassador to the Netherlands Haim Divon sent a letter to shareholders in the firm urging them to support the Israeli firm.

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