Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Tsikri said that Islamic extremists with pro-Hamas and anti-Israel stances are rampant in Belgium. jerusalem post Saturday night, in response to an imam’s recitation of Quranic verses about war and captivity in the Belgian parliament on Tuesday.
“Belgium, together with France, is the most pro-Hamas and anti-Israel leader in all of Europe, and it is no wonder that together with Belgium, Islamic extremism is widespread,” said Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Tsikri. “Turning our backs on Israel has proven to be a difficult strategic mistake.”
Chikli added that he hopes the pro-Hamas government will be replaced in the future by one that upholds Western values.
Imam Qari Muhammad Ansar Nourani, who was invited by Socialist Party member Hasan Koyuncu to an event in the Belgian parliament, read the following verse: and cast fear into their hearts. You “believers” have killed some and taken others captive. ”
The term “people of the book” is used to describe people of non-Muslim Abrahamic faiths, including Jews. The poem was considered inflammatory in light of the recent October 7 massacre in which Hamas invaded Israeli bases and border towns, killing soldiers and civilians and taking many prisoners. .
Mr Chikli’s comments about Belgium came after tensions over Israel’s response to the operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip after the massacre.
Belgian politicians take anti-IDF positions in public
During a visit to Egypt’s Rafah border crossing on November 24, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo called for a permanent ceasefire and for Israel to abide by international humanitarian law, which prompted the Belgian ambassador to issue a reprimand. called.
“Military operations carried out by Israel to prevent terrorist attacks must respect international humanitarian law (IHL),” De Croo said. “The killing of civilians must stop. The violence must stop now. Too many people have died. The destruction of Gaza is unacceptable. Just as Gazan society is being destroyed, so is the society. We cannot accept that it will be destroyed.”
While condemning Hamas terrorism, the prime minister called for “a halt to settler violence in the West Bank” and said all parties must respect IHL.
Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Petra de Sutter also called on her government to introduce sanctions against Israel and investigate some IDF operations for possible war crimes. This includes increased funding for criminal courts.
“The time has come for sanctions against Israel. The rain of bombs is inhumane,” De Sutter said. news blood “It is clear that Israel does not care about international calls for a ceasefire.”
De Sutter said the European Union should suspend its association agreement with the Jewish state and impose a ban on imports of products from the West Bank. He also said Israelis living outside the Green Line who have been accused of acts of violence, some politicians and IDF soldiers accused of war crimes should be barred from entering the EU.
Belgium has been the host of large anti-Israel rallies, including protests in Brussels on November 11, when around 21,000 protesters called for a ceasefire. Some demonstrators held placards calling for a Palestinian state “from the river to the sea.”
Another large-scale protest took place on January 21, with activists holding banners declaring “Long live the Palestinian resistance” and “Resistance is not terrorism.” Some demonstrators also called for the release of Lebanese terrorist Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, who is being held in a French prison.
Zvika Klein, Reuters and Jerusalem Post staff contributed to this report.