After day of tension around Israel, the GroenLinks-PvdA group receives support from members for a complete arms embargo

When the 3,500 members of GroenLinks and PvdA arrive in Nieuwegein on Saturday for the historical merger congress, slight tension can be felt. Not about the left -wing merger, which received almost 90 percent support from the voters in an online referendum last month. Members were talking to each other on Saturday morning about the entire arms embargo against Israel that MP Kati Piri argued this week, and about which internal fuss arose. On Friday evening, three former party leaders of the PvdA-Lodewijk Asscher, Job Cohen and Ad Melkert-supported a current motion on the congress that calls on that point of view.

And so the left-wing fusion party threatens to be overshadowed by division over Israel, anyway a sensitive subject within GroenLinks-Pvda. Party leader Frans Timmermans therefore comes on stage immediately at the start of the PvdA congress in an attempt to calm the minds. He explicitly focuses his arrows on the actions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Gaza, and now also Iran. “What binds all of us is that we want the murders to stop and there are no more innocent victims.”

And yes, according to Timmermans, that is temporarily a complete arms embargo against Israel, including no longer supplying parts for the Iron Dome rocket shield that protects Israeli citizens. Only then will Netanyahu feel forced to negotiate with his regional enemies, Timmermans thinks.

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He gets a standing ovation from many PvdA members, but that is not over the discussion and unrest. A group of critical PvdA members of Red Vooruit wants to talk about the Axscher motion that morning, calling the party to “distance themselves from the Piri motion”. But many other PvdA people believe that the discussion belongs to the joint congress part with GroenLinks in the afternoon and vote for that. To the great displeasure of the critics, who do not already feel heard in the merger discussion. “Boe” and “shame!” Calling several members, and the chairman of the congress has difficulty recovering order.

Strangely enough, the festive merger is hardly anymore in Nieuwegein

Later in the afternoon, Piri, at the start of the joint congress, leads a panel discussion with, among others, the former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Then it becomes clear that many members of GroenLinks-PvdA think very differently than the PvdA critics: even before Piri takes the floor, she gets a long, standing ovation, although there is also some bodry soup in some places in the overcrowded room.

Sharp criticism of Israel

At the joint congress, a long line of players gives sharp criticism of Israel and almost all members vote for condemning the ‘genocide’ in Gaza – there is no more discussion about that word. But a motion that argues for a complete political, social and economic boycott of Israel is discouraged by the House of Representatives. Successively MPs Piri, Tom van der Lee and Esmah Lahlah say that a complete boycott goes ‘way too far’. Such a boycott would also make joint Israeli-Palestinian peace initiatives. Former Groenlinks leader Bram van Ojik: “Left-wing people also live in Israel, we should not boycott them, but support them.” Eventually 61 percent of the GroenLinks-PvdA members voted against a boycott.

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Soon after, the Piri motion is discussed. Former party leader Job Cohen explains why he is concerned about the new group position. “What happens to innocent civilians in Gaza is the fault of that terrible government in Israel, but we don’t want the same thing to happen in Israel?”

Left -wing people also live in Israel, we should not boycott them, but support them

Former PvdA minister Jan Pronk sees it differently. “Israel violates international law. Who needs to be protected? The people without cellars in Tehran, the people without a roof in Gaza.” In the end, almost 80 percent of the members vote against the reconsideration of the Piri motion and therefore before the group position, a very welcome boost for Piri and party leader Frans Timmermans.

Strangely enough in Nieuwegein it is hardly about the festive merger anymore. Earlier in the afternoon there were also some motions about this, about the foundations of the new party. At GroenLinks, a majority of 61 percent supported that the “principles and ideals of ecosocialism” are central to this.

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In the PvdA room, Stijn Maas, one of the initiators of Rood Vooruit, wanted to call to choose the “unambiguous” social democracy as a basis for the new party. Only 35 percent of the PvdA people voted for, 54 percent were against, also because the party board thought that this should be decided with GroenLinks in the future.

Battle song

A merger also means making choices between two party cultures. At the PvdA it has been a tradition since its foundation The internationalSince the 19th century the battle song of the working class, to sing. Whether the new merger party should take over this use was challenged by both parties. In the GroenLinks room, some people sing along enthusiastically, but in the end only 36.59 percent voted before the song with the new party. At the PvdA – where the members had just sung the Internationale under the supervision of a professional singer – 52 percent of the members were in favor. Whether the international also becomes the battle song of the new left party is therefore still unclear.

At the end of the congress, Timmermans once again took the stage, where he still spoke extensively about the Gazad discussion in his party. “Today I was so incredibly grateful that you have given such a clear signal to the rest of the Netherlands: stop that war in Gaza.”

Looking for connection with critical party members, he said: “At the same time we have open ears and an open heart for those people who are very concerned about the safety of their loved ones.” And: “We also want the hostages to be released today, we also want the people in Tel Aviv to live in safety, be protected.” Timmermans’ final speech, just like his opening speech, could count on enthusiastic applause.

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