Flemish governing parties call for immediate halt to investments in Israel

The move follows earlier demands from opposition party Groen, which urged FIT to close its Tel Aviv office, Belga news agency reported. CD&V leader Sammy Mahdi said promoting trade with Israel contradicts calls for sanctions.

"We support tough economic sanctions against Israel. Actively boosting their economy through trade promotion contradicts that position," Mahdi said.

The call comes ahead of the Flemish Parliament's emergency session on Gaza, scheduled for Aug. 14. While the Flemish government has banned direct arms exports to Israel since 2006, a recent court ruling blocked military transit goods via Belgium, exposing gaps in enforcement.

Parties are also considering suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement and ending scientific cooperation.

Although foreign policy is federal, Flanders could act independently on regional instruments, with pressure mounting on coalition leader N-VA to respond.

Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 60,800 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The military campaign has devastated the enclave and brought it to the verge of famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.