Mayor of Leuven Refuses to Meet Netanyahu

From the desk of Luc Van Braekel on Tue, 2006-09-12 18:53
Left: Tobback, right: Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's former and probably future prime minister, arrived in Belgium last Thursday for a private visit. On his way back from the United States, where he talked with Dick Cheney and speeched at New York University, Netanyahu stayed at the castle of the Merode family in Westerlo, 50 kilometers outside Brussels. On Saturday and Sunday he visited the Flemish medieval cities of Leuven, Ghent and Brugge (Bruges).

Kristof Debecker, a reporter of the newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, asked the mayor of Leuven if he had considered an official welcome for Netanyahu. Here's what mayor Louis Tobback, a socialist, replied:

Personally, I'm not thrilled at all by this Netanyahu. Receiving him at the city hall is out of the question. Even if he would offer me a glass of beer at a Leuven terrace cafe, I would diplomatically but firmly refuse. Netanyahu is a reactionary right winger. [To his secretary:] When the request comes in, tell him that Tobback's schedule is fully booked for the rest of the week.

The mayor of Leuven is notorious for his provocative language. In 1985 Tobback was the leader of the opposition against the deployment of 48 medium-range cruise missiles in Belgium. A few years later he threatened to throw himself on the tracks of the TGV (high speed train) if its trajectory would pass near a highway in Leuven. The TGV track was built, but Tobback did not move.

(hat tip: Tobback picture copyright Pieter Baert)

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This is not surprising that

Submitted by oiznop on Tue, 2006-09-26 14:31.

This is not surprising that a socialist would be unwilling to meet with B.B. Netanyahu...Still a lot of anti-semitisim in Europe, which I might add was brought on by the NAZIs, who many fail to realize were indeed socialist in their agenda..an attitude like this will only aid in Europe's eventual collapse.....My one German Jewish friend who plays in my band has a theroy about Germany (for example)...He thinks that all the Turks who have immigrated to Germany are a punishment for Germany's treatment of the Jews.....Neeee-ya, (crunch, crunch, crunch) could be!....
 
 

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A more productive (or

Submitted by davod on Thu, 2006-09-14 10:21.

A more productive (or provocative) approach by the reporter would be include a list of the people the Mayor has welcomed over the years.

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I am a belgian. Tobback is a

Submitted by Lawrence on Thu, 2006-09-14 08:52.

I am a belgian. Tobback is a discrace for the country. But, in his reaction, he once more removes any doubt about the values socialists stand for: they haven't changed a bit since their role model Adolf Hitler in WOII died: THeir only values are: "We are right, the others are wrong and must be silenced either way".

A result? Total media boycott for right parties. ( crr Hitler )
Demonising any right party in the media ( cfr. Hitler )
They're not afraid of bribing, lying, killing people who get in their way (Cools, a socialist was murdered by a fellow socialist, cfr Hitler...)

The socialists and the green are THE ultimate danger our country has to face and overcome.. Pray with us we will succeed.

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mayor of Leuven

Submitted by Snorri Godhi on Wed, 2006-09-13 17:45.

Presumably Mr. Tobback also refuses to meet the Belgian King, on the grounds that he is a descendant of King Leopold II... 

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I guess...

Submitted by marcfrans on Tue, 2006-09-12 20:53.

...Benjamin Netanyahu is now entitled to call Louis Tobback a....."reactionary left winger".  I am sure Tobback has met many totalitarian political leaders during his long political career.  His refusal to meet with a democratic political leader says more about him than about Netanyahu.  Apparently, Louis is not only "a rectionary left winger", but also a moral fool. This would not disqualify him to be a 'smart' politician in the present Belgian political context.   

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