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The city of Verviers in Belgium is the latest city of various countries to cut ties with Israel in defense of Palestine. Photo/BDS Movement
BRUSSELS – The Belgian city of Verviers has become the latest city in Europe to break with the apartheid regime Israel to strengthen its support for the Palestinian people.
During its meeting, Verviers City Council discussed a motion submitted by members of the Socialist Party (PS), Labor Party (PTB), and Ecological Confederation (ECOLO) which said that the City of Verviers wanted to strengthen its support for the Palestinian people by severing its ties with the Israeli apartheid regime.
The draft proposal put forward said that Verviers City Council promised not to open relations with the State of Israel and its institutions as long as the apartheid system persists and violations of international law by the Israeli authorities continue.
Verviers follows the Belgian city of Liége, whose city council voted last month to end ties with Israel for the same reason, namely Israel imposing an “apartheid regime, occupation and military occupation” of Palestine.
Also in April, Oslo, the capital of Norway, decided to exclude companies that directly or indirectly contribute to illegal Israeli settlement companies.
In February Barcelona in Catalonia, the Spanish state, decided to suspend its institutional ties with Israel’s apartheid regime.
Elsewhere, the Brazilian city of Belém recently declared it an Apartheid Free Zone and cut ties with Israel.
The Palestinian National Committee for Divestment, Sanctions and Boycott (BDS), the largest coalition in Palestinian society, saluted Verviers’ decision and praised what he described as “the tireless work of Belgian civil society in making this possible.”
“The committee calls for statements in cities around the world to follow the inspired example of Verviers, Liége, Oslo, Barcelona and Bélem by breaking with Israeli apartheid to support the Palestinian cause to dismantle apartheid,” the committee said, as quoted by WAFA news agency. , Thursday (1/6/2023).
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