2023-11-26 17:03:00
12th episode of the campaign diary. 196 days before the elections, a look back at the political news of the week. Between a diplomatic crisis with Israel following the Prime Minister’s trip there and the broadcast of a film on the October 7 massacre, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is shaking up the political agenda.
Campaign diary episode 12, and this week, we could have talked to you about politics in the end-of-year party atmosphere. You know, the ones who open Christmas trees and markets.
Travel to the Middle East
But no… Belgian politics has gone on a journey, at a time of international news! Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard the airline “Air De Croo”. The trip to the Middle East will last two days.
Our first stop: Israel and a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Second stop in the Palestinian Territories and an interview with President Mahmoud Abbas. Finally, Egypt and a meeting with President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi.
As a conclusion, because it’s still serious, a press conference with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. Here are everyone’s statements.
Pedro Sánchez: “The indiscriminate killings of innocent civilians, including thousands of boys and girls, are completely unacceptable“. Alexander De Croo: “A military operation must respect international humanitarian law. The massacres of civilians must stop now“.
Critics of Israel
These statements caused a mini diplomatic crisis. It all started with a tweet from Eli Cohen, Israeli Foreign Minister: “We condemn the false statements of the Spanish and Belgian Prime Ministers who support terrorism and, following their remarks, their ambassadors will be invited to be severely reprimanded“.
Response from Prime Minister Alexander De Croo: he will invite the Israeli ambassador to Brussels for a little coffee and he will repeat Belgium’s position to her.
Empty chair policy in the House
For politicians who did not leave, this Israeli-Palestinian conflict also occupied the debates, well almost. We are in the House on Wednesday. The deputies were to vote on a resolution, a text which calls for an immediate ceasefire and the recognition of a Palestinian state.
But ultimately, the meeting will last barely 4 minutes and 10 seconds. “I propose to close the meeting. We are not enough. The discussion will continue at another time. Yes, we stop“, quickly announces Els Van Hoof, federal deputy of the CD&V and president of the External Relations Committee.
It’s called empty chair policy. The liberal deputies Open VLD and MR did not come. The resolution was not voted on and was postponed until next week. With Alexander De Croo’s trip to Israel, the subject is sensitive.
Film in Parliament
Finally, still on this issue, around thirty parliamentarians saw the film on the massacre of October 7, when Hamas attacked Israel. All parties responded to the MR’s invitation, except two: the Flemish far right of Vlaams Belang and the far left of the PTB.
At the end of the screening, it was the president of Défi who perhaps best summed up what they had experienced. “There were people who burst into tears. There were people who left during the screening. There are many people who comforted each other, all parties combined. After all, what we have just experienced is a human and collective ordeal.“, confided François De Smet, federal deputy.
And deputies moved to tears, this is extremely rare in Belgian politics. There may still be some on election night on June 9. But that’s a whole different story. Don’t forget: we vote in 196 days.
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