Belgian region follows Japan's suit, suspends munitions to 'Israel'
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Wallonia's Minister of Housing says the ICJ's ruling, along with the "unacceptable deterioration of the humanitarian situation" in Gaza, led to the suspension of munitions licenses.
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A Palestinian woman cries as she carries her wounded son following an Israeli strike in the Bureij refugee camp in Gaza on November 2, 2023. (AP)
The Wallonia regional government in Belgium has banned permits to export explosives, especially gunpowder, to "Israel" after the International Court of Justice ruled against it, said Minister of Housing Christophe Collignon on Tuesday, as reported by Palestine Chronicle.
Export licenses were awarded to the PB Clermont munitions plant in Engis (Liège) in early 2023 but were suspended by Wallonia's Minister-President Elio Di Rupo.
Collignon stated that the International Court of Justice ruling, along with the "unacceptable deterioration of the humanitarian situation" in Gaza, led the Minister-President to temporarily suspend the licenses.
Wallonia, one of Belgium's three regions in its highly federal system, has suspended arms sales to Israel following the ICJ ruling.
— James Schneider (@schneiderhome) February 6, 2024
Time for the UK to follow suit if we are to comply with our own laws.https://t.co/QUSPY1uhlN
According to the Belgian news website L'Echo, the statement followed an inquiry from Hélène Ryckmans, an MP with the Ecolo party, about gunpowder exports from Antwerp to "Ashdod", an Israeli-occupied port city near the Gaza Strip.
Italy, Japan too
In late January, the Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani revealed that Italy had ceased its arms supplies to the Israeli occupation once the war on Gaza began.
The executive of Japanese trading house Itochu Corp stated on Monday that the aviation unit will cease cooperation with Israeli arms company Elbit Systems Ltd. by the end of February over the war on Gaza.
Itochu Aviation, Elbit Systems, and Nippon Aircraft Supply (NAS) signed the strategic cooperation memorandum of understanding (MoU) in March 2023, seven months before the war on Gaza broke out.
Itochu's Chief Financial Officer Tsuyoshi Hachimura said the decision comes after the International Court of Justice ordered "Israel" last month to prevent acts of genocide against Palestinians.
"The partnership is based on a request from Japan's defense ministry for the purpose of importing defense equipment for the Self-Defense Forces necessary for Japan's security, and is not in any way related to the current conflict between Israel and Palestine," Hachimura said during an earnings news conference.
"Taking into consideration the International Court of Justice's order on January 26, and that the Japanese government supports the role of the Court, we have already suspended new activities related to the MOU (memorandum of understanding), and plan to end the MOU by the end of February," he added.
