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THREAD: The fourth parliamentary debate on the #Hawija case, a 2015 Dutch airstrike on Hawijah, Iraq, which led to the death of 70 civilians, has started.
For background, read our latest report on the case here. https://airwars.org/news-and-investigations/newly-released-documents-reveal-the-dutch-knew-about-possible-high-risk-to-civilians-at-hawijah/
For background, read our latest report on the case here. https://airwars.org/news-and-investigations/newly-released-documents-reveal-the-dutch-knew-about-possible-high-risk-to-civilians-at-hawijah/
MP @SalimaBelhaj (D66): “We ended up in a cat and mouse play with Defence ( @DefensieOnline), in which parliament has to act like detectives to get our information. (…) Nearly five years later, I still cannot say with certainty that everything is on the table.”
MP @SalimaBelhaj (D66): “I find it unacceptable that when our Minister of Defence asks her counterpart in the US for the publication of a certain report, it is not possible – yet when [Dutch] journalists request it through a FOIA requests, those same reports are published."
MP @BramvanOjikGL (GroenLinks): “The Minister has had six months [since a motion of no confidence nearly passed] to win back our trust, and she has failed to do so. When will our government finally – irrevocably – acknowledge that something went terribly wrong in Hawijah?”
MP @Martijncda (CDA): “The fight against ISIS was and is a fight against evil – and unfortunately civilian casualties fall. (…) The question is: how do we make better agreements with the United States on information exchange in a next conflict?”
MP @SadetKarabulut (SP) asks @Martijncda (CDA): “Do you accept, as a representative of the people, that you are not fully informed about such important matters as civilian casualties?”
Reply MP @martijncda (CDA): “Defence ( @DefensieOnline) can decide whether information should be shared in terms of personnel, operational and national security. I think it is good that they can make that decision.”
MP @BramvanOjikGL (GroenLinks) repeatedly mentions he finds it unbelievable that the American Secretary of Defense ( @EsperDoD) did not directly responded to a letter by Dutch Minister of Defence @MinBijleveld, but let his deputy minister respond: “It's a slap [in the face].”
. @ben_meindertsma: "It has been mentioned several times: according to @airwars, another country has previously refused the attack on Hawijah. @DefensieOnline does not have that information. @CENTCOM can undoubtedly find out if Defence asks for it." https://twitter.com/ben_meindertsma/status/1260875956711043072
MP @WassenbergFrank (PvdD): “Why did the Prime Minister call the number of 70 civilian casualties a 'rumor' during a debate in November 2019, whereas the Americans have been using it as an official number in their statistics since 2017?”
MP @JoelVoordewind (CDA): “Why was the fact that CIA informants had warned the Coalition not shared with the Dutch Red Card Holder? And does the Minister ( @MinBijleveld) think the red card holder should have had this information?”
MP Raymond van Roon (PVV): "PVV has no problem whatsoever with the targeting process and the bombing in Hawijah itself. It does, however, with how Parliament has been systematically incorrectly informed. It has become a communication error of the first order."
MP @thierrybaudet (FvD): "Today, we are not primarily talking about the fact that there were civilian casualties, but about the political aftermath. Parliament has been lied to, and provoked, for five years."
The first term of the debate has ended. The debate continues at 14.00 hours (CEST). Dutch Minister of Defence @MinBijleveld will then respond to the many questions posed by MPs.
