NETHERLANDS/LEBANON: DUTCH WILL OPPOSE UNBALANCED

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 001758 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/10/2016 TAGS: PHUM PREL KPAO UNRCR NL SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/LEBANON: DUTCH WILL OPPOSE UNBALANCED HRC RESOLUTION REF: A. STATE 130904 ¶B. STATE 130145 Classified By: AMBASSADOR ROLAND ARNALL FOR REASONS 1.4 (B,D) ¶1. (C) Summary: The Dutch find the draft Human Rights Council (HRC) resolution on Lebanon "unacceptable" and will speak out against it publicly. According to Dutch Foreign Minister Bot, the HRC risks making itself irrelevant by adopting such a one-sided resolution. Although Bot has been attacked in Parliament for his allegedly "pro-Israeli" views, he told Ambassador Arnall on August 10 that the Dutch will continue to take an "even-handed" approach to the situation that takes Israel's legitimate security concerns into account. Bot noted that Hizballah's unexpected staying power had been an eye-opener for most Europeans, and privately suggested that Hizballah and its backers needed to be "taught a lesson." End Summary. HRC DRAFT RESOLUTION "UNACCEPTABLE" -------------- ¶2. (C) Ambassador Arnall raised the upcoming special session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) with Dutch Foreign Minister Bot on August 10. Noting that the draft OIC-sponsored resolution (ref a) was obviously and offensively one-sided, the Ambassador urged Bot to take a clear, public stand against it. Bot agreed that the draft resolution was "unacceptable" and stressed that the Dutch would definitely oppose it in the Council. He conceded, however, that the resolution would probably still pass -- a result he said did not augur well for the HRC's future. ¶3. (C) Noting that establishing the HRC had been a high priority for the Dutch, Bot expressed frustration that the organization appeared to be falling into the same self-destructive pattern of its predecessor. Bot stressed that the HRC would quickly lose credibility if it continued act in such and "unbalanced" manner. Asked whether he intended to state these views publicly, Bot responded that he was prepared to use "the strongest language" to express Dutch concerns. ¶4. (C) In separate conversation with POLCOUNS on August 9, Acting MFA Political Director Wim Geerts said that the Dutch were not happy about the special session, but had been powerless to prevent it. While he had not seen the draft resolution at that point, Geerts suggested that the Dutch hoped to work with other WEOG members to "disassociate" themselves from what he anticipated would be an unacceptable text. COUNTERING HIZBALLAH -------------- ¶5. (C) During a broader discussion of the situation in Lebanon, Bot argued that the Western World "could not allow itself to be held hostage by Iran and Hizballah." He stressed that Hizballah's ability to withstand Israeli attacks while continuing to rain rockets on Israel demonstrated that Hizballah was stronger -- and more closely linked to Tehran and Damascus -- than most Europeans had realized. Although the media focus on Lebanese civilian casualties was understandably generating public sympathy, he added, there was also a growing realization of the need to disarm Hizballah and "teach a lesson" to its backers. ¶6. (C) Bot noted that he had been bitterly attacked in parliament for taking a "pro-Israeli" position in public statements and at the August 1 GAERC meeting. Bot argued that this was an unfair characterization of his "even-handed" position, and criticized opposition Labor Party spokesman Bert Koenders for seeking to exploit the issue for election purposes. On the other hand, he made clear that he would continue to ensure that Israel's legitimate security concerns and right of self-defense were not forgotten in the public debate. He added that the adoption of a UNSC resolution, the deployment of a "serious" force to Southern Lebanon, and credible efforts to disarm Hizballah would all help shift attention in a positive direction. ARNALL