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Praise as Belgian city bans dealings with Israeli companies

April 28, 2017 at 4:50 pm

Sint-Jans-Molenbeek, Belgium, City Hall on November 28, 2015 [Goris/Wikipedia]

The Palestinian delegation to the European Union, Belgium and Luxembourg yesterday welcomed the Belgian municipality of Sint-Jans-Molenbeek’s decision to prohibit all forms of political, economic and cultural dealings with Israeli institutions and companies that violate international laws and Palestinian rights.

On Wednesday, the municipal council of Sint-Jans-Molenbeek approved the decision which “gives a strong signal to politicians in Belgium to stop dealing with Israeli institutions that violate international law and contribute to settlement.”

In a statement seen by the Anadolu Agency, the mission said:

[The decision] constitutes strong political and moral support for the Palestinian people, supporting them in their response to serious violations of international law by the Israeli occupation and Israel’s refusal to comply with all UN resolutions on the Palestinian issue.

The decision was welcomed by the Palestinian community in Belgium. The Municipality of Molenbeek is the first municipality to take such initiative which would not allow the city council to accept tenders from Israeli companies which operate in the illegally occupied Palestinian territories. The motion was recommended in 2015.