Dutch MP calls for show of force against Iran

Dutch MP, Joel Voordewinde

Dutch MP, Joel Voordewinde, has called on the Dutch foreign ministry to rally support for stopping Iran from gaining membership into the Human Rights Council of the United Nations.

Dutch media reported that Joel Voordewinde, representative of Christian Union Party in the Dutch parliament, has announced that he will call on Foreign Minister, Maxime Verhagen, to respond to this request in the parliament’s Thursday session.

The Dutch parliamentarian maintained that the Netherlands should join Germany in this instance and “rally support” for impeding Iran from entering the Human Rights Council.

Joel Voordewinde claimed it to be “unacceptable” that Iran is at the threshold of gaining membership in the UN Human Rights Council, adding: “Iran is consistently announcing that it will erase Israel from the face of the world map. It denies the Holocaust and it is perhaps at this very moment in the process of developing nuclear weapons.”

On April 13, Fiama Nirstien, chief deputy of Italian parliament’s foreign commission, also announced that “it is Italy’s duty to use all possible avenues to stop Iran from membership in the UN Human Rights Council.”

Il Velino reports that Ms. Nirstien added: “Elections for the selection of 14 new members for the Human Rights Council will be held on May 13 in Geneva. Iran has announced its candidacy for the Council and this is a travesty of civilized society.”

UN Human Rights Council is “an inter-governmental body within the UN system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe.”