Belgium: BDS movements pressure company to boycott Israel

Belgian company Jan De Nul Group is currently bidding to build port facilities in Haifa and Ashdod.

Anti-Israel groups from Belgium and Luxembourg joined in with human rights groups in Kuwait and Morocco (known for their pristine human rights record) to pressure the company to boycott the port project.

The groups include: Algemene Centrale van het ABVV, Intal, Vredesactie, Palestina Solidariteit, Nordine Saïdi pour le Mouvement Citoyen Palestine, Le Comité Verviers Palestine, Association Belgo-Palestinienne, G3W – Geneeskunde voor de Derde Wereld , Plate-forme Charleroi-Palestine and Comité pour une Paix Juste au Proche Orient.

Though BDS movements claim they only boycott settlements, their letter clearly explains why settlements are only part of the problem.  Israel manufactures weapons, and therefore Israel is a target too.

The ports you are considering constructing are likely to become a key conduit for deadly weapons used to violate human rights in Palestine/Israel and across the world. 

By constructing and operating ports that facilitate the movement of produce from illegal Israeli settlements and weaponry used in Israeli massacres, the Jan De Nul Group would be be making a political decision to become deeply complicit with Israel’s violations of international law and Israel’s oppression of Palestinian rights. 

As such, the Jan De Nul Group would become a legitimate target for popular boycotts, protests and campaigns aimed at persuading governments and private sector bodies not to award your business lucrative contracts.