The Netherlands on Saturday denied landing permission to a plane carrying Turkey's foreign minister as part of a dispute over a canceled political rally. In response, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed the Dutch are "Nazi remnants" and "fascists" who "do not know politics or international diplomacy." "You can stop our foreign minister's plane all you want," he said, "let's see how your planes will come to Turkey from now on."
"It is a crazy remark, of course," replied Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. "I understand they are angry but this is of course way out of line."
The quarrel began when the Netherlands canceled a rally to whip the votes of Turkish expatriates in advance of a Turkish referendum on constitutional reform. The Dutch government cited security reasons for the cancelation, but also opposes the constitutional changes. Erdogan previously leveled the Nazi charge at Germany over a similar dispute.