Wim Kortenoeven | |
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| Member of theHouse of Representatives | |
| In office 17 June 2010 – 19 September 2012 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Robert Frank Willem Kortenoeven (1955-05-29)29 May 1955 (age 70) |
| Political party | Party for Freedom (2010–12) Independent (2012) |
| Residence(s) | The Hague,Netherlands |
| Alma mater | Leiden University(M.A. inpolitical science) |
| Occupation | Politician, author, journalist |
Robert Frank Willem "Wim" Kortenoeven (born 29 May 1955) is a Dutch author, journalist[1][2] and former politician.
Kortenoeven engages in political developments in theMiddle East, focusing on theArab-Israeli conflict. He also writes aboutJewish history. On these subjects he gives lectures and guest lectures[3] and contributes toIsraël-Aktueel,[4][5] the monthly magazine of the Dutch foundation Christians for Israel.[6]
He is a supporter of the State of Israel as well asJudaism and strongly opposesIslam andArab and other supposed adversaries of Israel, likeIran, and has said that Islam is the most important negative factor in the Israeli peace process.[7] He is director of the pro-Israellobby organisation Netherlands-Israel Public Affairs Committee (NIPAC), a Dutch equivalent of theAmerican Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
Kortenoeven studiedpolitical science atLeiden University andhistory (unfinished) at theDutch Open University.
He worked twice in an Israelikibbutz: in 1976 in kibbutzNahshon and in 1981 in kibbutzMatzuva. In the meantime he worked at Holland International, a Dutchtravel agency. In the 1980s he was active in the Dutch care sector. From 1988 to 1991 he was director of Dutchlink Sales Representation.
From 1991 to 2000 Kortenoeven was involved in journalism activities and project advisory, both in the Netherlands, theUnited States and Israel. From 2000 to 2010 he was an employee of Centrum Informatie en Documentatie Israël (CIDI), a Dutch centre providing information about Israel.
On 17 June 2010 he became a member of theHouse of Representatives for theParty for Freedom (Partij voor de Vrijheid). As an MP he focused on matters offoreign policy (Middle East,Russia andAsia) and thearmed forces of the Netherlands. In parliament he criticised Islam and Turkish Prime MinisterRecep Tayyip Erdogan, referred to Istanbul as "Constantinople",[8] and called for "preventive action" against Iran's nuclear installations by Israel and the United States.[9] He has been described as part of thecounter-jihad movement.[1]
Being the only member of his party to vote against banning ritual slaughter (both a Jewish and Muslim practice),[10] Kortenoeven announced on 3 July 2012, in the wake of a press conference byGeert Wilders, that he had just left the PVV due to internal struggles. He did so together with fellow MPMarcial Hernandez.[11] They formed the Kortenoeven/Hernandez Group, that was in Parliament until 19 September 2012 (after the general elections, in which they didn't take part). Although unhappy with Wilders' "authoritarian" leadership style, he has later said that "I left his party, but that doesn't mean that I disagree with him. I disagree with the way he wants to solve things without offering real solutions,"[12] and that he "remains sympathetic to its aims".[13]
He was a Member of the Dutch Parliament for Geert Wilders' Party for Freedom, worked previously as a journalist and as a pro-Israel lobbyist, and has written books on Hamas and the roots of the Arab-Israeli conflict.
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