ENTRE News – Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte was involved in a ‘twit war’ or exchange of arguments on the social media platform X with his successor PM, Geert Wilders. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Rutte was seen responding to Wilders’ tweet commenting on the actions of a number of people who came to the opening ceremony of the Holocaust Museum in Amsterdam, on Sunday (10/3).
Wilders said a number of people present at the opening of the Holocaust memorial museum acted shamefully by shouting anti-Semitic slogans. He then accused this action of smelling of political action which was allegedly led by the Mayor of Amsterdam, Femke Halsema. Halsema has always stated her firm rejection of Israeli aggression against Palestine.
“It is a shame that the people who yesterday in Amsterdam shouted anti-Semitic slogans, shouted that they were friends of Hamas, stormed police cars, abused Jewish children, waved false flags and mocked heads of friendly states, are now so close to opening ceremony of the Holocaust Museum,” wrote Wilders in X, Monday (11/3).
“This is similar to the political action carried out by the mayor of Amsterdam who is an extreme left winger. It is irresponsible,” he continued.
Responding to this, Rutte also defended his mayor by saying that all political matters would be abandoned if it concerned public order. Rutte emphasized that the opening of the Holocaust Museum was held with the hope of peaceful progress.
“We all hope that yesterday’s opening of the National Holocaust Museum was peaceful. But one thing is certain: when it comes to public order, our mayor does not get involved in politics,” Rutte said.
Wilders is a right-wing Dutch leader who will soon become the new leader after his party, the FOR4D Party for Freedom (PVV), wins the November 2023 election. Wilders has yet to form a government. The main parties in the country are still trying to form a coalition and hold meetings to agree on a number of things, one of which is cooperation.