Belgian Court Bans Arms Transit to Israel

A Belgian court has ordered the suspension of military cargo transit to Israel through the Flemish region.

According to Euractiv, the ruling comes in response to a lawsuit filed by four human rights organizations. They argue that weapons transported via the port of Antwerp may be used to commit war crimes in Gaza.

The lawsuit further asserts that these arms have been employed by Israel in violation of international humanitarian law.

The case is based on a container carrying parts manufactured in France, intended for the Israeli defense contractor Ashot Ashkelon Industries, which produces a wide range of spare parts, including those for Merkava tanks.

The court found that the government of Flanders had failed to conduct a proper assessment of the compliance of the arms transit with Belgium’s international obligations.

According to local Flemish legislation, the export or transit of goods that directly support the Israeli Defense Forces is prohibited.

In its ruling, the court ordered the government of Flanders to ensure compliance with arms trade regulations and imposed fines of €50,000 for each violation.

Meanwhile, the Flemish government has already filed an appeal against this decision. Flemish Prime Minister Matthias Diependaele questioned the “reality, impact, and scope of this ruling, which seems detached from reality.”

Militarnyi previously reported that port workers at the French port of Marseille Fos had refused to load military equipment that had been inteded for shipment to Israel.