Paul Magnette, Leader of PS (Socialist Party)

BFOI slams the latest parliamentary motion by members of Belgian political party PS as an "attempt to demonise and delegitimise the world's only Jewish state".

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, January 18, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Later today a group of MPs from the Belgian Socialist Party (PS) will once again table motions in the federal parliamentary committee on external relations concerning Israel.

Belgian Friends of Israel wrote today to PS président Paul Magnette strongly criticising the MPs for tabling "anti-Israel motions under the pretext of being pro-Palestinian". The letter accuses the MPs, Malik Ben Achour, André Flahaut, Christophe Lacroix, Ahmed Laaouej and Jean-Marc Delizée, of "disproportionate and malignant singling out of the Jewish state, with whom they appear to be pathologically obsessed".

The motions are accompanied by documentation produced in May 2021 by the same MPs supporting an unsuccessful motion calling on the federal government to impose sanctions on Israel. BFOI's letter describes this material as reflecting "extremist rather than moderate Palestinian views , utterly one-sided, and ignoring critical context." The letter continues "it talks of a blockade of Gaza, but fails to explain that this is both legal under ‘international law’ and entirely justified as a means of protecting Israeli civilians from Palestinian terrorist attacks."

The committee meeting will be attended by representatives from six organisations, They include Brad Parker, senior adviser, Policy and Advocacy for the NGO DCI-P (Defence for Children International). BFOI explains in its letter to Mr Magnette that many employees and board members of DCI-P have demonstrable ties to the terrorist group Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), as exposed by NGO Monitor.

The letter to Mr Magnette continues "Not content with relying once again on such biased materials, your MPs have invited notoriously prejudiced speakers to address the committee. Such a polarised, ideologically extreme approach to a complex situation harms those who genuinely work towards a just and lasting peace for all in the region. It has the effect of importing into Belgium long-standing problems from elsewhere, thus raising tensions here and putting community cohesion at further risk. It consciously avoids dialogue and nuance, without which there will never be peaceful coexistence."

"Your MPs will tomorrow engage in a hypocritical, cowardly stunt, because there will be nobody to give another point of view, almost as if they couldn’t bear any dialogue. It will again be a mischievous attempt to demonise and delegitimise the world’s only Jewish state whilst doing nothing positive for Palestinians. The majority of Palestinians want dialogue with Israel, want their own “Abraham Accords”, want an end to the binary worldview of their corrupt leaders and dogmatic western politicians."

"The actions of your MPs neither serve the interests of ordinary Palestinians nor make any contribution towards peace", the letter concludes.

Celia De Coster
BFOI
+32 493 03 86 78
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