Viral video: Dutch MP refuses to shake Israeli prime minister's hand

Kuzu, who is a vocal supporter of Palestinian rights, has since justified his actions on Facebook

A Dutch politician refused to shake the outstretched hand of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to the Netherlands.

A video clip shows the awkward moment when the Muslim Dutch MP, Tunahan Kuzu snubs the Israeli leader as he approaches him after greeting other politicians lined to welcome him. In response, Netanyahu is then seen shrugging and moving away.



Turkish-born Kuzu is a vocal supporter of Palestinian rights. He can be seen wearing a badge bearing the Palestinian flag during his encounter with the Israeli PM. Since the incident, he shared a justification for his actions on Facebook. “While the streets of Gaza were reddened by blood that splashed out of the veins of children in the summer of 2014, the red carpet is rolled here,” Kuzu wrote. “That deserves no handshake, but a reference to #FreePalestine,” he added.



Embarrassed by the snub, the Israeli PR machine cut out the handshake refusal from the video shared on YouTube by the PM’s office. But that did not stop the original video from going viral. While some accused the Dutch MP of antisemitism, others took to Twitter to praise him. “What a boss”, one user wrote, while another called handshake refusal a “sign of strength and decency”.

#Israeli PM @netanyahu's reaction to being 'snubbed' by the bigoted #Dutch MP @tunahankuzu is just priceless! pic.twitter.com/4sk4gEMhJV

— Arsen Ostrovsky 🎗️ (@Ostrov_A) September 7, 2016

There are people like this Dutch politician #TunahanKuzu, who have courage and sagacity to spit right on the face... https://t.co/9cBc3EDNA7

— muhammad ayub khan (@Ayub12M) September 7, 2016

https://twitter.com/_UnhappyClown/status/773980660029620224

You are not alone. Every conscientious people in the world is with you @tunahankuzu #tunahankuzu

— Haşim Aslan (@pumpkineaterq69) September 8, 2016

@tunahankuzu The world needs chiefs like you #TunahanKuzu #Netanyahu

— Fayza Hojeij (@FayzaHojeij) September 8, 2016

https://twitter.com/junumucu/status/773577289531613184


After the video went viral, Netanyahu shared a video on his Twitter account ostensibly in reference to Kuzu. "Today we saw another clear example of those who want peace and those who don't," he said. "Those who twist their noses, let their noses stay twisted," Netanyahu concluded quoting former Israeli PM, Menachem Begin.

PM Netanyahu: Today, we saw another clear example – of those who want peace and those who don’t. pic.twitter.com/E6FClNdF7E

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) September 7, 2016

This article originally appeared on RT.