On June 25th a number of Belgian political parties recommended a resolution to Molenbeek-Saint-Jean municipality in Brussels to ban companies that support Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt).
The parties in the Molenbeek-Saint-Jean municipality in Brussels also commended a resolution to officially recognise the State of Palestine, made on 26 November 2014.
A press release from the Belgian Socialist Party (PS) and the Belgian Labour Party (PTB Molenbeek) stated that the settlements form an obstacle to peace, and that it is necessary to ban companies supportive of the occupation from trading in local Belgian markets.
Municipal councilor Dirk De Block will also introduce a motion ‘to ask for exclusion from tendering any enterprise engaged in illegal activities of occupation of the Palestinian territories,’ adding that it was an ‘ethical’ and ‘moral issue’ which Molenbeek should not contribute to in a negative manner.
All parties concerned denounced the contract previously made by the municipality with G4S, the global prisons and security company, because of the companies cooperation with and support for the Israeli occupation in the suppression of Palestinians at checkpoints and in Israeli prisons.
G4S has come under heavy criticism lately for its continued work with the Israeli Prison Service which has been accused of committing human rights abuses against Palestinians detained in its jails, including children.