Dutch Foreign Minister Max van der Stoel has cancelled his planned visit to Saudi Arabia because that country refused to approve a visa request for a Jewish journalist. The decision, made by the Foreign Minister and the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee, was announced here this evening.
The journalist, Jaap van Wesel, is the Israeli correspondent for the Dutch weekly, “Vrij Nederland.” He has both Israeli and Dutch citizenship and has been living in Israel for several years. The Dutch Foreign Minister as well as Dutch Premier Johan den Uyl, both warned earlier in the week that they would not tolerate any anti-Jewish discrimination against Dutch citizens.
Van Wesel’s visa request was refused twice by Saudi Arabia. The first application was made by van Wesel himself, declaring his residence as Jerusalem. This request was refused officially because only eight journalists were to be included in van der Stoel’s official party.
When “Vrij Nederland” applied subsequently for a visa for its correspondent, no mention was made of his domicile and van Wesel was to travel independently to Riyad. The second request was also refused, after which the newspaper made its official protest to The Netherlands’ highest officials.
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