European refusal of Israeli symposium in Jerusalem or occupied Golan

Spokeswoman for the Dutch embassy in Israel said that the European Union and the Netherlands do not recognize the decision taken by Israel to annex the occupied city of Jerusalem and consider the Golan Heights a Syrian territory.

In press statements the spokeswoman added that boycotting the seminar for heads of police organized by the Israeli Ministry of the Interior in occupied Jerusalem is built on the clear policy of the European Union and the Netherlands.

She added, "It is not possible to take part in official Israeli activities in occupied Jerusalem nor in official visits to the occupied Syrian Golan Heights."

Meanwhile, the spokesman for the Canadian embassy in Tel Aviv, whose country also boycotted the symposium, said: "Canada would have participated in the symposium if it would be convened in another place rather than occupied Jerusalem."

The Netherlands, France, Canada and Norway have boycotted this symposium, which opened on Monday, in protest for being held in occupied Jerusalem and because the schedule of the symposium includes a visit to occupied Syrian Golan Heights.

The Israeli daily Haaretz said: "The four countries also boycotted the symposium because it was organized in the old part of Jerusalem." The paper added that a high-ranking official at the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Yitzhak Leour, criticized the countries for not taking part in the symposium.