A new demonstration for a ceasefire in the Palestinian Gaza Strip, the European March for Palestine, took place in Brussels on Saturday, with participants condemning the EU for inaction and demanding that Israel comply with international law.
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According to the organizers, 45 thousand demonstrators took part in the action, the police say about 21 thousand.
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“We demand that Belgium and the European Union do everything possible to achieve an immediate ceasefire, protection of civilians, access of international assistance to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip,” a statement from the Federation of Belgian Trade Unions, which organized the action along with other public organizations, said.
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The demonstrators also called for support for an international investigation into the events in Gaza, including financially, and to help bring to justice all “who may be involved in war crimes.”
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As one of the protesters said, a group of European lawyers has already sent documents to the International Criminal Court to investigate the events in Gaza. He called on the protesters to contact local deputies and heads of municipalities, so that they, in turn, demand more active actions from the federal authorities towards a ceasefire. “This should work, especially considering that “elections will be held soon,” a protest participant said
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Previously, a number of Belgian political parties called for a ban in Belgium and the European Union on products produced in the “Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories”, but consensus on this issue has not yet been reached even within the country. The initiative was taken by the Belgian party Christian Democrats and Flemings CD&V. The initiative calls for the adoption of a law prohibiting the sale in Belgium of products “that have a close connection with gross violations of human rights and international law.” The bill does not talk about specific products, but we can talk about vegetables and fruits, as well as cosmetics.
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The European Commission did not comment on these proposals, recalling that sanctions in the EU are adopted unanimously by all member states, and the process is confidential.
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EU leaders following a meeting in Brussels called for a “humanitarian pause” in Gaza, but failed to agree on a ceasefire demand. A European official confirmed to reporters on Friday that there is no consensus among EU member states on the issue.
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Earlier, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said that he considered Israel’s actions disproportionate when, in order to eliminate a member of the Hamas movement, an airstrike was carried out on a concentration of civilians in a Palestinian refugee camp in Gaza.
