Brussels – Republic of Palestine (Exclusive)
The Belgian capital, Brussels, hosted an international parliamentary conference bringing together politicians and activists from multiple countries, in a coordinated effort to support the “Sumud Flotilla” heading toward the Gaza Strip amid a deepening humanitarian crisis caused by the ongoing siege.
Participants called for the establishment of an internationally supervised humanitarian maritime corridor to Gaza, ensuring the safe and sustained delivery of aid. They also demanded an immediate halt to arms transfers to Israel and the suspension of the EU–Israel Association Agreement.
A Platform for Political Pressure
Participants emphasized that the conference is not merely a symbolic act of solidarity, but a platform for structured political pressure. Its discussions revolved around what has been termed the “Brussels Declaration,” which calls for a UN-backed humanitarian sea corridor grounded in international law, while affirming the Palestinian people’s right to free access to their waters and land, and their right to lead reconstruction efforts free from external impositions.
The declaration also firmly rejects the normalization of impunity for powerful states, asserting that justice for Palestinians is inseparable from the broader struggle for a just international order.
Conference sessions addressed multiple dimensions of the crisis in Gaza, including humanitarian collapse and the breakdown of essential services, the role of civil society amid institutional failure, policy tools to halt arms transfers and trade with Israel, and the role of parliaments in enforcing accountability and ending impunity.
Broad International Participation
In this context, Omar Fares, head of the Social and Cultural Association of Palestinians in Poland, described the conference as “an important step in sustaining pressure on the occupation and preventing the whitewashing of its image.” He noted the participation of dozens of Members of the European Parliament and national parliaments, including Turkish MPs, alongside politicians and activists who had previously taken part in the flotilla.
Fares himself participated in last year’s flotilla and was among those detained after it was intercepted in international waters. He stressed that such initiatives aim to remind the world that Gaza remains under siege and that Palestinians continue to face daily violence.
Key Figures and Calls for Boycott
The conference featured prominent international figures, including UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese and Spanish Minister of Youth Sira Rego, alongside Belgian and Palestinian organizations and public figures.
Speakers emphasized the need to intensify boycott efforts and increase pressure on European governments and institutions to suspend their agreements with Israel, while highlighting ongoing violations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
Upcoming Street Mobilization
The conference coincides with the departure of the “Sumud Flotilla,” which includes hundreds of activists and several vessels heading toward Gaza in an effort to break the siege and deliver humanitarian aid.
Organizers also announced a planned march toward the European Parliament in Brussels, aimed at escalating both public and political pressure on European decision-makers to take clearer and more decisive positions regarding the situation in Palestine.
