MPs from the governing party Christian Democrats and the opposition parties socialist SP and ChristenUnie say foreign minister Uri Rosenthal is being too reticent about the violence in Syria and are calling for more action from the European Union and the United Nations.

Rosenthal told tv programme Buitenhof on Sunday that the circumstances in Syria are different to those in Libya because the regime is still in control of the country. But he did say he thinks the international community should increase the pressure on Syria, for instance by stopping the €130m aid programmes.
The MPs want Rosenthal to push for a UN resolution making clear to Syrian president Bashar al-Assad that violence will not be tolerated. It is also time to recall the Dutch ambassador, they say.