Gretta Duisenberg
Encyclopedia
Gretta Duisenberg is a Dutch
left-wing political activist and supporter of anti-Israeli causes. She is the widow of Dutch Labour Party (PvdA) politician Wim Duisenberg
who was also the first president of the European Central Bank
.
Duisenberg was born as Greetje Nieuwenhuizen into a strict Protestant family in Heerenveen
. She later studied nursing. Her first marriage was to the internist
Bedier de Prairie, with whom she had three children. At that time she also started using the name Gretta. After their divorce
, she became active in left-wing politics, human rights causes, and was briefly involved with Hans van Mierlo
, at that time the Dutch Minister of Defense. She married Wim Duisenberg when he was president of the Dutch National Bank.
Gretta Duisenberg came to international attention in 2002 when the media reported that the president of the ECB had a Palestinian flag
hanging from his house in Amsterdam
.
Gretta Duisenberg also came under fire when she announced her intention of collecting six million signatures as part of her campaign to draw attention to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories
. She was asked how many signatures she'd been able to gather for the petition against the occupation and replied that 6,000 supporters had signed so far. And how many signatures would you like to collect, she was asked. Duisenberg hesitated for a moment and then said, "Six million". Critics stated that the figure was clearly an allusion to the number of Jewish victims of World War II. Duisenberg denies any link to the Holocaust, and stated that she just mentioned a multiple of the 6,000 they had already collected..
In a discussion program aired on Dutch TV in November 2005, she stated to understand suicide bombings in light of the disparate conditions Palestinians live in. In the same program, she said I hope the Jews realize they can't take over the South of Amsterdam the same way they took over the West Bank! referring to the vandalism, complaints, and threats of legal action she received for hanging the Palestinian flag on her property. This statement caused controversy and further intensification of allegations of antisemitism. In July 2006, the Dutch Openbaar Ministerie (Public Prosecution), after an investigation following a complaint by Dutch lawyer Abraham Moszkowicz, decided not to prosecute, as the format of the specific TV programme was meant to incite fierce, possibly controversial and exaggerated reactions. This would be the second time the Dutch OM decided not to prosecute Duisenberg after allegations of antisemitism. Abraham Moszkowicz has since sued her for a third time.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
left-wing political activist and supporter of anti-Israeli causes. She is the widow of Dutch Labour Party (PvdA) politician Wim Duisenberg
Wim Duisenberg
Willem Frederik "Wim" Duisenberg was a Dutch politician of the Labour Party . He was the first President of the European Central Bank from 1 July 1998 until 31 October 2003. He was instrumental in the Introduction of the euro in the European Union in 2002. He was also credited for making numerous...
who was also the first president of the European Central Bank
European Central Bank
The European Central Bank is the institution of the European Union that administers the monetary policy of the 17 EU Eurozone member states. It is thus one of the world's most important central banks. The bank was established by the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1998, and is headquartered in Frankfurt,...
.
Duisenberg was born as Greetje Nieuwenhuizen into a strict Protestant family in Heerenveen
Heerenveen
Heerenveen is a town in the Heerenveen municipality of the province of Friesland , in the north of the Netherlands.- History :The town was established in 1551 by three lords as a location for the purpose of digging peat which was used for fuel, hence the name...
. She later studied nursing. Her first marriage was to the internist
Internal medicine
Internal medicine is the medical specialty dealing with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of adult diseases. Physicians specializing in internal medicine are called internists. They are especially skilled in the management of patients who have undifferentiated or multi-system disease processes...
Bedier de Prairie, with whom she had three children. At that time she also started using the name Gretta. After their divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
, she became active in left-wing politics, human rights causes, and was briefly involved with Hans van Mierlo
Hans van Mierlo
Henricus Antonius Franciscus Maria Oliva "Hans" van Mierlo was a Dutch politician of the Democrats 66 . In 1966 Van Mierlo together with Hans Gruijters founded the Democrats 66...
, at that time the Dutch Minister of Defense. She married Wim Duisenberg when he was president of the Dutch National Bank.
Gretta Duisenberg came to international attention in 2002 when the media reported that the president of the ECB had a Palestinian flag
Palestinian flag
The Palestinian flag is based on the Flag of the Arab Revolt, and is used to represent the Palestinian people , and the Palestinian Authority.-Description:...
hanging from his house in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
.
Gretta Duisenberg also came under fire when she announced her intention of collecting six million signatures as part of her campaign to draw attention to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
. She was asked how many signatures she'd been able to gather for the petition against the occupation and replied that 6,000 supporters had signed so far. And how many signatures would you like to collect, she was asked. Duisenberg hesitated for a moment and then said, "Six million". Critics stated that the figure was clearly an allusion to the number of Jewish victims of World War II. Duisenberg denies any link to the Holocaust, and stated that she just mentioned a multiple of the 6,000 they had already collected..
In a discussion program aired on Dutch TV in November 2005, she stated to understand suicide bombings in light of the disparate conditions Palestinians live in. In the same program, she said I hope the Jews realize they can't take over the South of Amsterdam the same way they took over the West Bank! referring to the vandalism, complaints, and threats of legal action she received for hanging the Palestinian flag on her property. This statement caused controversy and further intensification of allegations of antisemitism. In July 2006, the Dutch Openbaar Ministerie (Public Prosecution), after an investigation following a complaint by Dutch lawyer Abraham Moszkowicz, decided not to prosecute, as the format of the specific TV programme was meant to incite fierce, possibly controversial and exaggerated reactions. This would be the second time the Dutch OM decided not to prosecute Duisenberg after allegations of antisemitism. Abraham Moszkowicz has since sued her for a third time.
External links
- "Stop de bezetting" (Dutch) / "Stop the occupation of Palestine" (Summary page in English)
- Gretta Duisenberg not prosecuted (Dutch newspaper article - July 14th, 2006)