THE HAGUE, 06/05/08 - The Party for Freedom (PVV) will ask for an unscheduled debate to be held about a proposal put forward by Welfare State Secretary Jet Bussemaker for paying more attention to the role of Muslims in the liberation of the Netherlands during World War II.

"The role played by ethnic minorities during the war was negligible. But Labour (PvdA) - Bussemaker's party - now wishes to exaggerate this role to please its Islamic voters," PVV MP Martin Bosma claimed yesterday.

On Sunday, Bussemaker proposed that teacher training colleges (PABOs) should include the role played by ethnic minorities in WWII in its course material. In this way, the teachers can then transfer this knowledge to children in their history lessons, which would foster integration.

In some urban schools, it has been difficult for some years to give lessons about the Holocaust because of protest by Islamic pupils. However, people from Morocco and the Antilles were also active in the battle against Nazi Germany, as well as the allies, the state secretary observed in an interview with Muslim broadcaster NMO.

Those people from Morocco and the Antilles were probably Jews. Middle Eastern Jews were very effective fighting for the allied cause. Many spoke German and infiltrated Rommel's army in North Africa for purposes of espionage and sabotage. At one point, however, Montgomery's Arab allies sold the British out to the Germans for 5 bags of tea.

Bosma spoke of "multicultural falsification of history" by Bussemaker. He also claims that she is overstepping her portfolio, as education is not among her tasks. The PVV MP wants to hold an emergency debate on the issue after the current recess with Bussemaker and PvdA Education Minister Ronald Plasterk.