Former Dutch Prime Minister regrets his defense of Israel

[Resistance]

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article1755.shtml

Former Dutch Prime Minister Dries van Agt expressed regret of his defense of the Israeli army in front of the Dutch parliament after the massacre of Palestinian civilians in Sabra and Shatila. "At that time I couldn't believe that under the eyes of the Israeli army such atrocities could have taken place as later was revealed," Van Agt (72) told the Dutch daily newspaper Reformatorisch Dagblad on Saturday.

When between 16 and 18 September 1982, the Palestinian refugee camps were surrounded by the Israeli army and the massacre, killing, rape and disappearance of at least 1,000 Palestinian civilians took place, Van Agt's cabinet refused to fulfill the leftwing's demand to take appropriate measures against Israel.

After the massacre in Sabra and Shatila, the Dutch Labour Party and smaller leftwing parties demanded action against Israel and called Van Agt, as Minister of Foreign Affairs, to the parliament. "I remember that I have defended Israel. Today, I wouldn't have done that."