The Hague: Europe and the Arabs

Debate continues in the Netherlands regarding the handling of asylum seeker shelters. In the latest developments, the Red Cross has expressed concern for the safety of asylum seekers waiting outside the registration center in Ter Apel and has therefore erected five tents. Temperatures are expected to exceed 25 degrees Celsius in the coming days. A Red Cross spokesperson clarified that the tents are for sun protection, not for sleeping.

Due to severe overcrowding at the registration center, the COA (Council of Asylum Seekers) has been limiting admissions since Wednesday to the most vulnerable individuals. As a result, dozens are currently sitting near the entrance.

"A solution must be found because the heat today and in the coming days is alarming," said a Red Cross spokesperson. The organization is distributing water and food and monitoring the situation to determine if further measures are needed.

A spokesperson for RefugeeAid also expressed concern about the situation, stating, "There is a lack of shade, and people are at risk due to the heat. We support the call for the erection of shelters to provide shade." The controversy surrounding asylum seekers has been a source of interest for the Dutch royal palace. In this regard, our colleague Noureddine Amrani writes from the Netherlands: King Willem-Alexander supports the "silent majority" who want a peaceful resolution to the polarization surrounding the reception of asylum seekers. This was stated on Thursday during the annual press conference.

"A unifier, a representative, and an advocate," is how King Willem-Alexander often described his role and that of Queen Máxima. As the country remains divided over the debate surrounding asylum seeker reception, an obvious question arises: can he reduce the polarization on this issue by taking action himself?

Willem-Alexander stated: "The moment a demonstration involves excessive violence, it is no longer up to those working towards reconciliation. The public prosecutor's office must then intervene where necessary." He suggests investigating the financial flows behind this violence, if they enable it, "to contain them, so that we can interact normally with each other in this country."

The King condemns all forms of violence around asylum seeker reception centers, especially against aid workers: the police, paramedics, and firefighters. He says: “The right to demonstrate and protest is a great blessing in our democracy. But this must be done by making your voice heard, without violence.” He points to democratically passed laws that define “how we welcome people to this country.”

Willem-Alexander adds that he is also pleased to hear about the number of cards and letters being sent in support of those under threat. “There is a large silent majority that wants us to find a good, peaceful solution to this.”

Queen Máxima recounts that on Wednesday, during the King Willem I Award ceremony (a biennial entrepreneurship prize), she met a resident who turned out to be one of the best welders at a select company.

She means that newcomers can “add something to our society,” and that the Royal Family is constantly asking for attention to this issue through its work. But the situation in recent weeks, she says, referring to events like those in Loosdrecht and Apeldoorn, “is not something we can resolve.”

The meeting with journalists is taking place at the Clingendael Institute, on the border between Wassenaar and The Hague. Initially, time was set aside outside the palace for the traditional photo session, this time on the steps of the Baroque terrace and in what is known as the "Dutch Garden." After the print media, it was the turn of the audiovisual media on the palace terrace.

A variety of topics were discussed. The Emperor of Japan will soon pay a state visit to the Netherlands during the World Cup match between the Netherlands and Japan. They will watch television together, according to the King, "to test our friendship for an hour and a quarter (two halves)."

Willem-Alexander will attend the matches between the Netherlands and Sweden, and Curaçao and Ecuador, on the weekend of June 20 and 21 – the kingdom has the luxury of hosting two participating nations.

Princess Amalia says she enjoyed her two-day tour of Amsterdam, where she moved "from place to place." Traditionally, the mayor of the city welcomes the Crown Prince at the age of 21, after which he gets to know the city better.

She adds, laughing, that she was so tired that she spent the next day lying on the sofa. Although she lives in the capital, she has seen many new things and met many "special people".