Thousands of people marched in the streets of Brussels this Sunday, May 19, in the afternoon, to demand a ceasefire in Gaza and sanctions against Israel. This is the sixth major march in support of Palestine organized in the European capital. A demonstration called by a coalition of Belgian civil society organizations, including Palestinian collectives, and a Jewish association.
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With our correspondent in BrusselsLaure Broulard
At the head of the procession, there are many students. Coming from the universities of Brussels, Louvain and even Liège, in Belgium, many have participated or are still participating in occupations organized in their establishments in recent weeks.
They were walking this afternoon alongside French students, from the Sorbonne for example, who came by bus from Paris. They explain that they are fighting so that the mobilization for Gaza does not weaken, seven months after the start of the Israeli offensive, and want the university occupations to continue almost everywhere in Europe. Also in the procession are several Jewish associations who say they refuse to allow this war to be waged in their name.
Many demonstrators have become regulars at these gatherings. This is the case of Asma, a teacher from Brussels who always wants to be present with her family and who is increasingly indignant. “ We are here to say that we do not agree, that we, as Belgians, as Europeans, as human beings, we condemn what is happening. It is unacceptable to see hospitals, schools – myself who am a teacher-, schools, universities reduced to ashes to massacre a nation, so that there is no longer any future for this country and this nation “, she explains.
Compact crowd
It was a compact crowd, brandishing Palestinian flags, which left Brussels North Station around 2:30 p.m. and then headed towards Place Jean Rey, not far from the European institutions. Among the slogans we could read “ Criminal Israel, complicit Europe “, ” boycott Israel ” or ” We are all Palestinians “.
Organizers are demanding European Union (EU) support for legal action against Israel at the International Criminal Court, a comprehensive international military embargo, and a ban on all trade with Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory. For her part, Asma wants complaints to be “ carried out for war crimes “. “ We want there to be a clear, clear, precise condemnation of all the countries of the European Union. And also, what I would like to emphasize is that a march for Palestine is not an anti-Semitic march. There are many people here who are either Israeli, Jewish, or even converted and are pro-Palestinians, simply because they are human. »
A demonstrator confided to RFI that with regard to this conflict, she no longer expected anything from the European Union, in which she said she had lost all confidence.
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