This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/7532

Hamas Linked Palestinian Return Center Claims That West Is Becoming More Supportive Of A Palestinian State

PRC Report On Recent "Con"ference In Holland Promoting False Narrative
May 15, 2017

'West becoming more supportive of Palestinians'

London-based Palestinian Return Center leader says western world becoming more supportive of 'Palestine' as state.

Dalit Halevy, י"ט באייר תשע"ז, 5/15/2017

The PA and "Palestinian" communities in various countries around the world on Monday marked "Nakba Day," the day of "mourning" for the "disaster" which befell their people when the State of Israel was founded.

Majed al-Zeer, who runs London's "Palestinian Return Center," told Hamas newspaperFalestin that the West's understanding of "Palestinian" rights is growing, and they are becoming more willing to act on the "Palestinians'" behalf.

According to al-Zeer, one of the signs of this understanding is that various western countries are recognizing "Palestine" as a state.

Citizens of these countries support Palestinian Arabs even more than their governments do, thanks to the Palestinian Authority's successful media campaign.

Traditionally, Nakba Day entails demonstrations, riots, and violence, which Israel's security forces prepare to deal with both in the weeks leading up to Nakba Day, and on Nakba Day itself.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/229665

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MIM: Report from the Palestinian Return Center on their recent "con"ference held in Holland.

15th Palestinians In Europe Conference to be launched in Rotterdam

Rotterdam - 14 April 2017 The 15th Palestinians in Europe Conference is due to be launched tomorrow, 15th of April 2017, in Rotterdam with expectation of wide participation from Palestinians across Europe. The Conference key theme for this year is "Balfour Declaration" which is coming to it's centinary this year. The Conference will discuss various topics concerning Palestinian affairs such as Right of Return, Jerusalem, Prisoners, Gaza siege, Palestinian refugees in Syria and Lebanon. Many workshops, seminars and side events will allow for valuable recommendations and advice on the question of Palestine. Participants will have the opportunity to celebrate Palestinian culture and heritage through traditional music, Dabka and folklore shows. The Conference is open to the Dutch public and it will be a chance to introduce them to the cultural aspects of the Palestinian nation. The Conference has been under an organised smearing campaign from pro Israeli lobby groups and right wing elements. Such campaigns have been always the case in past years. This is done to suppress freedom of expression from Palestinians in Europe by cancelling their very popular conference. Conference management denounces such attempts and believe that these pro Israeli groups are relentlessly trying to impose the oppressive Israeli occupation techniques on civilised European nations such Holland. European states have been at the forefront of protecting human rights and do not intend to regress to the repressive measures Israel wishes to impose on their society through its lobby groups operating in the country. The Conference management commend the authorities in Rotterdam as well as the police and the mayor for facilitating this crucial event. For Media Enquiries Contact us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. // Or get in touch with conference spokesman Sameh habeeb00447949725139

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15th Palestinians in Europe Conference Kicks Off in Netherlands

Rotterdam – 15 April 2017 Thousands of Palestinians and pro-Palestine activists from across the European continent attended the 15th Palestinians in Europe Conference which kicked off on Saturday, April 15, in the Dutch city of Rotterdam, under the slogan "100 years on, a victorious nation and unbreakable determination." Speaking at the opening speech, Amin Abu Rashid, the conference's general coordinator, welcomed the audience and stressed that the conference aims to send a message of unity to and from the Palestinian Diaspora overseas. Speaking on behalf of the Palestinians in Europe Conference group, Mazn Kahil, said the Palestinian people will spare no effort to restore their right of return to their motherland—Palestine. Referring to the Balfour Declaration, Mr. Kahil said that the pledge has perished and that the Palestinian people shall never forfeit a single inch of their native soil nor give up their inalienable rights. "The Palestinians in Europe Conference comes in response to the crimes committed by the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people nationwide and overseas," stated Mr. Kahil, adding that the Palestinians have firmly rebuffed any attempts to turn their right of return and their homeland into bargaining chips. He further pointed out the key role that should be played by the Palestinian Liberation Organization in speaking up for the Palestinian people and seriously working on ceasing security cooperation with the Israeli occupation and lifting the Israeli blockade on Gaza. Addressing the masses through a televised speech, head of the Palestinian National Initiative, Dr. Mustafa AlBarghouti, reiterated Palestinians commitment to their legitimate rights and called for healing the national rift and joining forces so as to put into effect the terms of the deals struck at the National Council meeting in Beirut and set the stage for presidential and legislative elections. Dr. AlBarghouti underlined the eligibility of the Palestinian Diaspora to cast their votes in the National Council ballots and their active role in the anti-occupation struggle. He further called for propping up support for the Palestinian hunger strikers in Israeli jails and lifting the decade-long Israeli siege on Gaza. For his part, deputy secretary-general of the Palestinians Abroad Conference, Hesham Abu Mahfoudh, said the Palestinian people will neither concede defeat nor give up their right of return. He briefed the audience on the output of the Palestinians Abroad Conference held last February in Istanbul, vowing that the organizers will embark on another set of projects to refresh the role of the Palestinians overseas and raise awareness about the racist Israeli practices perpetrated against the Palestinian people. Secretary-general of the Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe, Samir AlFaleh, said the 15th Palestinians in Europe Conference is a sign of the eternal legitimacy of the Palestinian cause and of the right of return, urging the international community to assume its role vis-à-vis the cause and push for an apology over the notorious Balfour pledge. PalMed Europe chairman, Dr. Mondher Rajab, gave a thorough account of the events hosted by the group in an attempt to boost the integration of the Palestinian medics in the European community. Head of the Palestinian Women's Association in Europe, Ms. Iman Abu Shweima, sounded the alarm over the challenges faced by Palestinian women at home and abroad. Dr. Ramy Abdou, chair of the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, tackled the tragic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip due to the tough Israeli blockade and the ongoing efforts made by Euro-Med to document the Israeli violations across the occupied Palestinian territories. The 15th Palestinians in Europe Conference is the by-product of joint efforts by the Palestinians in Europe Conference group, the Palestinian Return Centre, the Palestinian Community in the Netherlands, and the Palestinian House in the Netherlands. The conference coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, in which the British government pledged its support for a Jewish national home in Palestine, at the expense of the Palestinian indigenous population. The conference addressed a number of issues including the socio-political situation in Palestine, the role played by the Palestinian Diaspora overseas, and Palestinians' right of return to their motherland.

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Rotterdam Declaration: The Concluding Statement of 15th Palestinians in Europe Conference

Rotterdam, the Netherland April 15, 2017 Thousands of Palestinians from across Europe attended the 15th Palestinians in Europe Conference, held in the Dutch city of Rotterdam under the Slogan "100 Years On, a Victorious Nation and Unbreakable Determination." The event was hosted by the Palestinians in Europe Conference group, the Palestinian Return Centre, the Palestinian Community in the Netherlands, and the Palestinian House in the Netherlands. The conference coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, in which the British government pledged its support for a Jewish national home in Palestine, at the expense of the Palestinian indigenous population. The conference addressed a number of issues including the socio-political situation in Palestine, the role played by the Palestinian Diaspora overseas, and Palestinians' right of return to their motherland. The Rotterdam conference was wrapped up with the following statement: First: We acclaim the commitment of the Palestinian community across the European continent to its right of return to Palestine, which is an irrevocable, indivisible, unchangeable, and irreversible individual and collective right. The Palestinians' will keep up their legitimate and just national struggle until they restore their rights. Second: We should hark back to the tragic fallouts of the Balfour Declaration on the Palestinian people over 100 years. We call on the United Kingdom to make an official apology for the pledge, which represents a flagrant violation of international law and of the principles of fairness and justice. The declaration has also forced Palestinians out of their homeland and tore down the very foundations of Palestinianhood. Third: We believe that all standpoints regarding any project or initiative aiming to work out the Palestinian cause should take into consideration our people's right to return to Palestine, to self-determination, and to emancipation from the Israeli occupation. Our people shall never give up their inalienable rights nor forfeit a single inch of their expropriated land. Fourth: We strongly condemn the blatant Israeli violations against Occupied Jerusalem—the capital and beating heart of the future sovereign Palestinian State—and against the Palestinian people, homes, and institutions in the city. We have been keeping tabs on the simmering escalations and sacrilegious assaults against holy al-Aqsa Mosque—the third holiest site in Islam—and other mosques, along with churches, sacred places of worship, and Christian and Islamic awqaf (endowment) property. We have also been keeping track of the incessant Judaization attempts against Occupied Jerusalem since the takeover of the city's western part seven decades ago and eastern part some 50 years ago. We do consider any attempt to transfer embassies to Occupied Jerusalem a rabble-rousing move. Fifth: We have kept record of the swift pace of Israel's settlement expansion on Palestinian land through recourse to a legal cover and the establishment of buffer zones to disremember Palestinian communities and fence them off within a chain of illegal settlement units and apartheid walls. The settlement activity has been upheld via land grab policy, confiscation of water wells, evacuations, and home demolitions in Occupied Jerusalem, the West Bank, and territories occupied in 1948 (Green Line). Sixth: We have been following with profound concern the tightened decade-long blockade imposed on the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which we believe is a multi-layered crime that contravenes international law and the humanitarian and moral standards. Indubitably, our people will remain steadfast and will never throw in the towel. We call on the Palestinians nationwide and overseas to combine forces in the face of the crises rocking the besieged coastal enclave of Gaza, namely the salary crisis and the blockade, beyond partisan interests and concerns. Seventh: We hail the Palestinian detainees, who have stood their ground in Israeli jails. Their cause will forever top the Palestinian agenda in Europe until all prisoners are freed, Israeli wardens prosecuted, and occupation jails turned into open sites for visitors from across the globe. Eighth: We appeal to all governments and concerned bodies to treat the refugees and displaced Palestinians from such conflict zones as war-torn Syrian humanely. We demand that Palestinian refugee camps be neutralized and supplied with humanitarian aids at times of warfare. Ninth: We stress the need to boost the involvement of the Palestinian Diaspora in national decision-making and institutions, including the Palestine Liberation Organization, a body which we believe should re-activate its role, restructure its institutions through democratic ballot votes, engage all Palestinians at home and overseas, and work on healing the national rift once and for all. Tenth: We applaud the launch of the Conference for the Palestinians Abroad, which is again a sign of the commitment of the Palestinian Diaspora to prop up their active role and recuperate their infringed rights. Eleventh: We appeal to the world's states, institutions, and the European and international bodies to comply with their commitments to justice, human rights, and international law as regards the Palestinian cause and to work on isolating the Israeli occupation, urgently ceasing all forms of cooperation and partnership with such a colonizing entity, and taking a legal action against the flagrant Israeli violations against the Palestinian people. Twelfth: The conference culminated in a series of recommendations and plans as follows: *A meeting held by PalMed Europe and attended by dozens of Palestinian physicians in Europe launched calls for setting the stage for an international platform to boost cooperation and communication between Palestinian medics though a set of specific mechanisms. The group pushed for propping up support for the medical sector in Palestine and urged the international medical institutions to assume their responsibilities as regards the exacerbated health condition in Palestine, particularly in the blockaded Gaza Strip. The Assembly appeals to the international institutions to urge the Israeli occupation authorities to cease preplanned medical neglect against the Palestinian detainees. PalMed calls on all Palestinian medics across Europe to adapt healthcare programs and mechanisms for the Palestinian people and Diaspora by joining medical delegations or internship programs at European hospitals. PalMed appeals to its members to rally round the Palestinian medics from Syria in Europe. *The Palestinian Women Meeting raised a number of issues regarding the active role played by women in reshaping the political arena. The gathering opted for a campaign to raise awareness of key-concepts as regards the Palestinian cause through the Palestine Remix platform. *A meeting took place between Palestinian instructors and culminated in an agreement to launch the Assembly of Palestinian Instructors in the Netherlands. *For the first time, the Palestinian Child Meeting was convened at the conference. The gathering discussed key concepts regarding the rights of Palestinian children and ways to boost national identity. *A seminar on the Palestinians of Syria was held under the title "Towards a New Role for the Palestinians of Syria in Europe". The seminar stressed the need to activate the European Network for the Palestinians of Syria, further integrate the Palestinian Diaspora within the European community, and boost the positive role played by the Palestinians of Syria overseas. The seminar further called on the local communities and institutions for the protection of national identities and minority groups to smooth the integration of Palestinian refugees into the European communities. The speakers agreed to hold workshops and form local committees to those very ends. Thirteenth: Everyone should bear in mind on the centenary of the notorious Balfour Declaration that the Palestinians will never throw in the towel and will forever stand up for their rights until their dreams see the day and rights are restored. We appeal to the world's free people and human rights advocates, far and wide, to speak up for the legitimate Palestinian cause, boycott the Israeli occupation, rescind investments with Israeli institutions, and impose sanctions on such a colonizing entity. The 15th Palestinians in Europe Conference. 15-4-2017

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Dutch Authorities Applaud 15th Palestinians in Europe Conference

Rotterdam – 16 April 2017 The Dutch authorities acclaimed the 15th Palestinians in Europe Conference held in Rotterdam city on Saturday, April 15, 2017. Thousands raised the Palestinian flag as they lined up outside the conference hall, before they headed to the entrance doors in such a civilized and refined manner, a statement published on the official website of the Dutch police read. The police said they detected no braches of the Dutch law by the pro-Palestine masses who flocked to the conference hall. Thousands of Palestinians and pro-Palestine activists from across the European continent attended the 15th Palestinians in Europe Conference which kicked off on April 15 in the Dutch city of Rotterdam, under the slogan "100 years on, a victorious nation and unbreakable determination." The conference was inaugurated by the Palestinian national anthem. An opening address by the conference's general coordinator, Amin Abu Rashed, followed. Other statements were delivered during the conference by such speakers as the head of the European Campaign to Lift the Siege on Gaza, Dr. Mazin Kahil, head of the Palestinian National Initiative, Dr. Mustafa AlBarghouti, secretary-general of the Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe, Samir AlFaleh, PalMed Europe chairman, Dr. Mondher Rajab, the head of the Palestinian Women's Association in Europe, Ms. Iman Abu Shweima, and Dr. Ramy Abdou, chair of the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor. The conference addressed a number of issues including the socio-political situation in Palestine, the role played by the Palestinian Diaspora overseas, and Palestinians' right of return to their motherland. The event was hosted by the Palestinians in Europe Conference group, the Palestinian Return Centre, the Palestinian Community in the Netherlands, and the Palestinian House in the Netherlands. A preplanned ad hominem campaign was launched by the Israeli pressure groups in Europe, particularly in the Netherlands, to urge the Dutch authorities to call off the gathering by all means possible. For the first time, the event hosted dual conferences in English and Arabic, in an attempt to reach a wider audience and garner the support of European diplomats and parliamentarians. A seminar dedicated to the Palestinian child also proceeded in Tandem with the conference. A round of panel discussions held at the seminar raised such alarming issues as the situation of the Palestinians of Syria, the role played by Palestinian women in Europe, and the situation of Palestinian doctors and instructors. The gatherings culminated in a series of recommendations. A number of pro-Palestine figures were also honoured at the conference. The conference coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, in which the British government pledged its support for a Jewish national home in Palestine, at the expense of the Palestinian indigenous population. PRC speaker Tareq Hamoud briefed the audience on the efforts made by the centre to urge the UK government to backtrack on its intent to celebrate the centenary and make an official apology over the tragic fallouts wrought by the pledge on the Palestinian people. Executive director of the Action Group for Palestinians of Syria, Mr. Ahmed Hussein, delivered a thorough presentation on the legal steps opted for by the group to speak up for the Palestinians of Syria and document the violations perpetrated against them around the clock. The conference was wrapped up by a concluding statement that stressed Palestinians' unyielding commitment to their right of return, which is an indivisible, inalienable, and non-negotiable right. Books, human rights reports, awareness-raising leaflets, traditional food and sweets, folkloric items, and art exhibitions also figured at the conference.

http://www.prc.org.uk/portal/index.php/activities-news/conferences

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MIM: The Muslim Mayor of Rotterdam,Ahmed Aboutaleb,refused to ban the conference despite PRC's documented terror ties.

Pro Hamas Conference In Netherlands Could Encourage Anti Semitism Critics Warn

The mayor of the second-largest city in the Netherlands is refusing to block a conference by a pro-Hamas group, despite warnings by Dutch Jewish leaders and political figures the event could encourage anti-Semitism and embolden terrorists.

The Palestinian Return Centre (PRC), which is regarded by the Israeli and German governments as a support group of the Hamas terrorist organization, plans to hold its annual "Palestinians in Europe" conference April 15 in Rotterdam.

Netherlands Chief Rabbi Binyomin Jacobs told JNS.org he is "very concerned" the conference "will incite anti-Semitism or pro-terrorist sentiment" in the country, particularly among the country's rapidly growing community of ethnic Turks. He said the PRC's activities are "just like the ‘Denk' party, whose three seats in the new parliament look small, but is the beginning, God forbid, of a direction which we don't want to go." Denk, which represents Dutch citizens of Turkish origin, is harshly anti-Israel.

A mob of militant Dutch Turks yelled "Cancer—Jews" as they rioted outside the Turkish consulate in Amsterdam March 11. They were protesting the Dutch government's refusal to let a Turkish cabinet minister campaign among Dutch Turks concerning an upcoming referendum in Turkey.

Jacobs said he and other Jewish leaders have urged Rotterdam's mayor, Ahmed Aboutaleb, to cancel the PRC conference. He said the mayor responded that "since there is no proof that Hamas is involved, he can't do anything." The rabbi said the mayor promised that "a few of his people" will be present at the April 15 PRC event to "make sure nothing anti-Semitic will happen or will be said."

Maarten Molenbeek, Aboutaleb's spokesperson, told JNS.org he would not comment on the controversy due to "a busy schedule," and also because "we want to be prudent on this case."

In a recent op-ed for the Huffington Post, Simon Wiesenthal Center Associate Dean Rabbi Abraham Cooper and former Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs chairman Dr. Manfred Gerstenfeld, described the question of whether or not the conference is "a litmus test" for Aboutaleb. They noted that while Aboutableb "is a member of the extreme anti-Israel Labour Party" in the Netherlands, he is "a moderate Orthodox Muslim" and "has not publicly expressed anti-Israel sentiments in the past."

The Center for Information and Documentation on Israel (CIDI), a Dutch pro-Israel group, recently wrote to Interior Minister Ronald Plasterk and Justice Minister Stef Blok, urging them to block the PRC conference on the grounds that "the organizers of this conference are affiliated with the terrorist group Hamas." CIDI Director Hana Luden told JNS.org the ministers have not yet replied. Luden said CIDI is "satisfied" with a letter it has received from Mayor Aboutaleb, but declined to reveal what he wrote.

Dutch journalist Carel Brendel, who has written about the PRC's activities, told JNS.org the evidence of the PRC's connections to Hamas is "overwhelming." He noted that two of the organizers of the upcoming conference, Adel Abdallah and Amin Abou Rashed, have received awards from Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

The PRC, which was established in London in 1996, contends that millions of Palestinian Arabs from around the world should be allowed to settle in Israel. Its current initiatives include the "Balfour Apology Campaign," which seeks to have the British government publicly apologize for its 1917 declaration endorsing the establishment of a Jewish national home in what was then Mandatory Palestine.

Then-Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak outlawed the PRC in 2010 because of its Hamas connections. According to the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information, the leadership of the PRC includes numerous Hamas activists. In a 2011 report, the German Interior Ministry stated "Hamas does not operate openly in Europe. Instead it uses, for instance, the Palestinian Return Centre in London as a forum."

Rotterdam City Council Member Tanya Hoogwerf told JNS.org that her Leefbaar Rotterdam faction has repeatedly pressed the mayor to cancel the PRC gathering. "Especially with anti-Semitism on the rise in the Netherlands and Rotterdam as well," she said, "we think it's irresponsible and a bad signal to lay out a red carpet for on organization that believes and states in it's own manifesto that all Jews need to be killed."

Hoogwerf said she and her colleagues "are still awaiting a response to our questions asking the mayor on what information or advisory from intelligence agency his decision is based."

http://www.jns.org/latest-articles/2017/3/28/pro-hamas-conference-in-netherlands-could-encourage-anti-semitism-critics-warn

This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/7532