The as Palestinian Youth and Sports Minister, Basim Na’im, landed in Holland as he was on his way to participate in a conference in Belgium; the Dutch Authorities held him on board of the plane and withdrew his visa.Na’im was on his way to participate in the conference on Palestinian Refugees in Holland, after he was granted via by the Dutch Authorities in Tel Aviv, Israeli Ynetnews reported.
Majid Al Aziz, the director of the London-based Palestinian Return Center, and one of the organizers of the conference, stated that 10 Belgium police prevented the minister from leaving the plane.
In an Interview with the Assiciated Press, Al Aziz described the incident as humiliation to the Palestinian people, and added that the authorities “did not even allow him to go to the toilet”.
Ahmad Dadou, spokesperson of the Dutch Foreign Ministry stated that the visa of Na’im was withdrawn on Thursday after security checks “revealed that he affiliated with Hamas”.
According to Dadou, the authorities contacted Na’im before he travelled, and informed him that he would not be allowed into the country.
Dadou added that Na’im tried to board an Amsterdam-bound flight on Thursday at night but when he was rejected, he boarded on an Egyptian plane on Friday from Cairo to Brussels, the Ynetnews stated.
The conference which Na’im was attempting to participate in is scheduled for Saturday in Rotterdam; thousands of Palestinians living in Europe are expected to participate since it is about the issue of the Palestinian refugees.
The Ynetnews also said that the Palestinian prime minister, Ismail Haniyya, was also invited to the conference but he was informed that he would not be granted a visa.
Organizers of the conference stated that Haniyya will to address the participants via video-conference.
