Dutch minister threatens to quit

Alleges racism in cabinet: reports

THE HAGUE:

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof's far-right government faced a crisis Friday when a junior minister reportedly threatened to resign, alleging "racist" comments by cabinet colleagues after last week's attacks on Israeli football fans.

Deputy Finance Minister Nora Achahbar, who is of Moroccan descent, was expected to hand in her resignation later Friday, which may prompt other cabinet ministers of her anti-corruption NSC party to follow suit, Dutch media said.

Far-right leader Geert Wilders has blamed last week's violence against Maccabi Tel Aviv fans on "Muslims" and "Moroccans".

Coalition party leaders went into an emergency session on Friday evening to discuss the current crisis, with NSC acting leader Nicolien van Vroonhoven saying "we will see" if the party wanted to continue in the government coalition.

"We have had to swallow quite a bit, it's difficult," Van Vroonhoven told reporters at the gates of Schoof's official residence in The Hague.

Asked if Achahbar had handed in her resignation, Van Vroonhoven said "it looks like it, but we are going to look into it."

Wilders's Freedom Party won the most seats in Dutch elections a year ago, but the coalition it formed will lose its majority if the NSC, with its 20 seats in the 150-seat lower house, pulls out of the government.

The ruling coalition led by Schoof has 88 seats in parliament between the NSC, Wilders' Freedom Party (PVV), the Liberal VVD and farmer-friendly BBB party.

"The minister is expected to hand in her resignation later today (Friday) after unhappiness with incidents within the cabinet after the violence in Amsterdam involving the game between Ajax and Tel Aviv Maccabi," public broadcaster NOS said.

"Last Monday, during the cabinet meeting, things reportedly got heated, and in Achahbar's opinion racist statements were made," it said.

"Achahbar reportedly indicated then that she, as a minister, had objections to certain language used by her colleagues," NOS added.

Achahbar, 42, for a long time worked as a public prosecutor. Other NSC cabinet members had not ruled out quitting, NOS said, citing unnamed sources.

The Netherlands is dealing with political fallout from last week, when Israeli football fans were attacked in Amsterdam's streets by men on scooters.

Maccabi fans were chased and beaten after a Europa League match against Ajax in Amsterdam on November 7 in attacks which Schoof said was prompted by "unadulterated anti-Semitism".