Pod Save America Hosts Call on Democrats to Cut All Israel Military Aid, No Longer Accept AIPAC Funding
Jews, Israelis Targeted in Austria Amid Surge in Antisemitic Incidents; Local Jewish Community Calls for Action
‘All of Our Strength’: Over 1,000 Pro-Israel Activists Gather in DC for Solidarity Conference
‘Devastated’: Wesley LePatner, Killed in Manhattan Mass Shooting, Was a Jewish Communal, Philanthropic Leader
Sen. Angus King Vows to No Longer Vote for Israel Military Aid Until Gaza Conditions Improve
Europe Won’t Pressure Israel to ‘Commit Suicide’ Amid Gaza Backlash, Palestinian State Push, Says Israeli FM
Israel’s National Soccer Coach Attacked in Athens Before Soccer Fans Chant ‘F–K Israel, Free Palestine’ at Match
New York Judge Sentences Neo-Nazi to 5 Years for Livestreaming Bomb Threats Against Jewish Hospitals
US Pressures Lebanon to Issue Cabinet Decision to Disarm Hezbollah Before Talks Continue
UK Plans to Recognize Palestinian State in September Unless Israel Meets Conditions, Starmer Says
Amsterdam Drops Plan to be Tel Aviv’s Twin City After Pro-Palestinian Pressure
Error: Contact form not found.
by JNS.org
A plan to link Amsterdam and Tel Aviv as twin cities was dropped on Thursday. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
JNS.org – A plan to link Amsterdam and Tel Aviv as twin cities was dropped on Thursday after the Dutch capital’s mayor, Eberhard Van der Laan, came under fire from pro-Palestinian activists.
Van der Laan has been an outspoken admirer of Tel Aviv, often noting its impressive start-up scene and its gay-friendly atmosphere. He attended the annual Tel Aviv Gay Pride Parade earlier this month. But after announcing the twin cities plan, Van der Laan faced an extreme backlash from the pro-Palestinian community as well as the Dutch political left.
Dutch News reported that the left-wing GroenLinks party’s leader, Rutger Groot Wassink, said there would be no twin cities deal “as long as Israel occupies Palestine, structurally infringes human rights and continues its settlement policy.” He was echoed by members of the Labor and Socialist parties, who said they were also not prepared to support the twin cities arrangement.
In an effort to reach a compromise, Van der Lan suggested that Amsterdam could also become sister cities with the de facto Palestinian Authority capital of Ramallah, but his critics refused to accept the idea and the twin cities initiative was scrapped.
Van der Laan said he still plans to advance cooperation between Amsterdam and Tel Aviv, though the specifics of that cooperation have not yet been announced.
