Wilders visits Israel and occupied West Bank despite criticism
From: Haaretz December 9, 2024 A Match Made in Hell: Far-right Dutch Politician Geert Wilders and His Israeli Friends -- Nice to have a good/true/new/dear friend while most of the old ones are deserting Israel, in their dire need
Given all of Wilders' good/true/new/dear friends in the Knesset, it is no surprise they are starting to rub off on him.
But with Israel's democracy teetering on the verge of collapse, he may want to look elsewhere for political inspiration
Like any social media influencer worth his salt, far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders announced his arrival in Tel Aviv on Sunday night with a classic "almost there photo," featuring an aerial view of his destination as seen from his plane seat.
For a caption, he chose the simple yet effective "Israel," written in Hebrew and flanked by two heart emojis. Propaganda princess Noa Tishby would be so proud.
Wilders ties to influential Israelis go way back. The Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) investigated Geert Wilders. The AIVD investigation was remarkable because the service is normally reluctant to investigate a sitting politician. The risk is that a government will request to investigate other politicians, for example from the opposition. Former leaders of the security services therefore speak of an "absolute no-go".
