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Geert Noels stated that the richest 20% of the Belgian population paid 65% of wage taxes, compared to 7% by the lower half. According to him, those taxes financed social benefits and transfers that went back to the lower incomes. He wrote that the tax burden on the highest incomes could not rise further and noted that they had little time and organization to take to the streets. #belasting #socialeongelijkheid #economischbeleid (translated)

Helma Lodders wrote that Johan Vollenbroek was often seen as a loner against powerful parties, but according to her, the image changed as soon as the financial interests were considered. She stated that a co-owner of DPG Media, which is behind the Volkskrant, Trouw, and a linked website, turned out to be financially involved. Lodders said that because of this, Vollenbroek seemed to have a strong network behind him and urged people to listen. #JohanVollenbroek #DPGMedia #Netwerk (translated)

Sander Sassen addressed Henri Bontenbal and wrote that he had been little visible for months, despite an earlier column by Sassen about his absence. According to Sassen, Bontenbal had published a long thread on October 7, in which he labeled Hamas a terrorist organization and reflected on the victims and the Jewish community. Sassen felt that Bontenbal had subsequently blurred the responsibility for the violence by talking about a chain of violence, the Israeli response, and civilian casualties. He also believed that Bontenbal had pointed to Benjamin Netanyahu's settlement policy as an obstacle to a two-state solution. Sassen argued that this approach equated Hamas's attack and kidnappings with Israel's response, thereby fueling antisemitism. Sassen also criticized Bontenbal's reference to an article in Trouw about Maoz Inon, who lost his parents to Hamas, and Aziz Abu Sarah, whose brother died in an Israeli prison. Sassen described their pursuit of reconciliation as hopeful but felt that Bontenbal presented this initiative as a serious way forward without giving sufficient attention to Hamas's persistence and objectives, according to him. He also stated that Hamas deliberately saddled Palestinian children with hatred for Jews. Sassen wrote that, in his opinion, Bontenbal offered false hope and insufficiently placed responsibility for Hamas's violence on the perpetrators. He claimed that Hamas and its supporters aimed for the destruction of Israel and stated that disarmament by Palestinians, in his view, would bring peace, while Israel's disarmament would lead to a new attack like the one on October 7. #Israël #Hamas #Antisemitisme (translated)

Bart Nijman wrote that if slogans had been chanted in honor of the deeds of Anders Breivik, additional water cannons from Germany would have been called in, extra news broadcasts would have been scheduled, and Trouw and NRC would have published special supplements that day. #vrijheidvanmeningsuiting #Nederland #media (translated)

Susanne wrote that she had to laugh at a budget debate in which Tijs van den Brink (CDA) unintentionally embarrassed Heera Dijk (D66) according to her. Dijk had said she was happy that financial coverage had been found, but according to Susanne, she could not explain what that coverage consisted of. She wrote that Ingrid Michon, whom she referred to as VVD president, came to Dijk's aid and that VVD minister Van der Burg laughed off the discomfort. Susanne called that partisan and compared the performance of D66 and the VVD in a mocking manner. #BegrotingKoninkrijksrelaties #TweedeKamer #TweedeKamer #Politiek #Humor (translated)

Esther Voet wrote that her message on October 7 was intended for, among others, Sander Heine from Vrij Nederland, Jamal Ouariachi from Trouw, and Saskia Kluit from PRO. She asked if anyone in the large group she described as hysterical wondered what they were doing. https://t.co/Yo9vKOwOJh #vrijheid #journalistiek #opinie (translated)

Harm Beertema wrote that people who ate bacon, according to a joke, had a lower chance of marrying a 9-year-old. He argued that England would be lost as a country if such a joke led to a report, prosecution, and punishment in an actual case. #bacon #humor #maatschappij (translated)

Shashi Roopram wrote that the publication of Trouw, which he described as a former resistance newspaper, said a lot about the antisemitic climate in the Netherlands according to him. He stated that this climate was deteriorating further. https://t.co/dkHqGTe0ft #antisemitisme #Nederland #Trouw (translated)

GeenStijl shared a link to Trouw and wrote ironically that it addressed the issue. In doing so, it cited a formulation in which Palestinian fighters three years earlier described violence against Israel as proportional. https://t.co/DVneUMI0fc #Palestina #Israël #verzet (translated)

André Flach wondered whether Trouw had an editor and criticized the newspaper for allowing such columns, in his opinion. He objected to the use of the words "proportional" and "resistance fighters" and stated that he regarded Hamas as terrorists, whom he condemned in very harsh terms. https://t.co/Dy1vBUdy6W #vrijheidvanmeningsuiting #media #terrorisme (translated)

Monique X- Fluencer asked how Trouw could allow a columnist to pay tribute to Hamas and justify the murders of October 7. According to her, that had nothing to do with freedom of speech and honoring terrorism should be punishable. #vrijheidvanmeningsuiting #terrorisme #ethiek (translated)

Elbertus van Lagen called a column by Jamal in Trouw disgusting and used a derogatory term for the columnist. He referred to the passage that stated that Wednesday marked three years since Palestinian resistance fighters had allegedly used proportional violence against Israel according to the column. https://t.co/qWSfwD3nBs #Palestina #Israël #Trouw (translated)

Meri wrote that Trouw had referred to the commemoration of the Hamas attack as an "anniversary" and said she could hardly believe that phrase was published. She argued that an anniversary is celebrated, whereas October 7, in her opinion, was a massacre and act of terrorism that needed to be remembered. She also asked how such a sentence was written and why an editor had allowed it to remain. #Hamas #herdenking #nieuws (translated)

Geert Dales wrote that Femke Halsema should have told Donald Trump that the politically correct term was "queers for Palestine," not "gays for Palestine." Dales, who said he was gay, added that he had more trust in Trump than in Halsema when it came down to it. https://t.co/tOUo9gh2vY #politiek #Halsema #Trump (translated)

Boukje wrote that she had spent a quiet day in the city and the harbor. Her dog Chippy had made new friends, and a 29-year-old marine had proposed to her. She added that she was now wearing a wedding ring that she could shrug and point to. https://t.co/Rl9mYwgb81 #slenterdagje #stad #vriendschap (translated)