The Netherlands government today called for Israel’s total evacuation of the occupied territories. The official statement, Issued by the Foreign Ministry, stated that Israel in principle must evacuate all the occupied territories because acquisition of territory by means of force is inadmissible. The Statement is an obvious concession to recent Arab demands that The Netherlands issue a unilateral declaration amending its allegedly pro-Israel attitude in the Middle East if the oil boycott is to be lifted.
It is a sharp departure from Hollands outright refusal last Saturday in Brussels to promise any concessions to the Arab nations or apologize for the Dutch Mideast policy. At that time, Dutch Economic Affairs Minister Ruud Lubbers said that Holland refused to “trade principles for oil.” Lubbers had Just conferred with Saudi Arabian oil Minister Ahmed Zaki Yamani in an effort to get the Arab nations to relax their oil boycott on Holland.
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