Over 100,000 mobilize in Brussels against Israel’s genocide in Gaza

Approximately 110,000 people gathered in Brussels on Sunday, September 7, in a new mass mobilization against the genocide in Gaza. Demonstrators symbolically drew a red line to the atrocities in Palestine and showed a red card to the right-wing Arizona government, which continues to offer only cosmetic measures against Israel.

Last week, the Belgian government announced it would move toward recognizing a Palestinian state, following similar statements from France and Britain. Yet the recognition would be conditional, based on requirements that would, at best, undermine the right of self-determination of Palestinians. Instead, organizers of Sunday’s action – coordinating more than 200 groups including human rights organizations, trade unions, and youth collectives – insisted the government must take meaningful steps to end Israeli war crimes.

“People are not fooled by the symbolic measures announced by the government,” the Workers’ Party of Belgium (PTB-PVDA) stated after the protest. “The time has come to treat Israel as the thug state it is. A state that continues to murder, starve, and deport Palestinians into concentration camps.”

Read more: Under public pressure, Belgium edges toward Palestine recognition

In contrast to the government’s mild approach, the protest centered on concrete demands: a full military embargo, an end to the arms trade and cooperation with Israel, and a ban on all relations that reinforce the occupation of Palestinian land. These calls echo wider mobilizations since late 2023, including Europe-wide efforts to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement, stop weapons sales, and expose contracts between European companies and Israeli entities.

As a result of these efforts, the solidarity movement in Belgium has already secured important breakthroughs. One was the federal government’s reluctant agreement to adopt even minimal measures in response to Israel’s crimes. Another was a July 2025 court ruling ordering the Flemish government to effectively stop military shipments to the occupation, in line with regional and national legislation.

Read more: Belgian court bans military shipments to Israel in activist victory

Building on these campaigns, activists have recently opposed a contract between Belgium’s national rail company NMBS-SNCB and Basque train manufacturer CAF. “This company is directly involved in the tram network in Jerusalem that connects illegal settlements to Israeli territory, thus actively contributing to occupation, annexation, and apartheid,” the platform 11.11.11 wrote.

The NMBS-SNCB confirmed CAF as a preferred bidder in a tender for the replacement of hundreds of trainsets that could reach €3 billion in worth. Activists warn that the Belgian company would become complicit in profiteering from occupation if CAF is selected to carry out the contract. In response, Al Haq Europe, Intal, 11.11.11, and Vrede vzw filed a petition to the Council of State demanding CAF’s exclusion from the process.

These and other campaigns will continue in the coming weeks, applying further pressure on the government to cut ties with Israel. “It’s now been months and years that thousands of us have been mobilizing against genocide, and this mobilization continues,” PTB-PVDA stated on Monday. “We are not giving up.”