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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