CD&V leader criticises parties' ‘hypocritical stance’ on Israel and calls for sanctions
The leader of Flemish Christian democrat party CD&V, Sammy Mahdi, has said he is “fed up” with the “hypocritical stance” on Israel of a number of coalition partners in the government. In a series of social media posts, he said sanctions must be imposed.
It is no secret that the De Wever government is not united on its stance towards Israel in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Nor is it a secret that CD&V and its leader would like to take a tougher stance towards Israel.
In several posts on Instagram on Thursday, Mahdi criticised the “hypocritical stance” of certain government parties towards the situation in Gaza.
“I don't want to go down in history as a collaborator,” he said. “I don't want to tell my children later that I stood by and watched children die of hunger and people being shot at aid stations.”
"I don't want to go down in history as a collaborator"
Mahdi is annoyed by the fact that every proposal made by his party, ranging from an import ban to economic sanctions, is being blocked.
“We remain close friends with a regime that is repeating what happened to the Jewish people themselves 80 years ago.” According to Mahdi, a “small country” like Belgium cannot solve the situation, but it can be a “catalyst to get others moving”.
He says sanctions are urgently needed. “Otherwise, I don't know how we will be able to untangle all the other knots in the government in the coming months."
“Sammy Mahdi is right,” said Flemish MP Nadia Naji of Groen, but she added that more was needed than “emotional slogans”. She proposes an ethical vote in parliament, in which each member of parliament, “regardless of majority or party logic”, could vote on issues such as economic sanctions or an arms embargo against Israel.
CD&V leader Sammy Mahdi at the federal parliament © PHOTO BELPRESS
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