Party defending Palestinians' rights expected to run in Belgian elections in June

By Melike Pala

The Viva Palestina Party, which aims to defend the rights of Palestinians, is expected to participate in the Belgian general and regional elections.

The party is expected to enter the elections, which will held June 9 in the Brussels region.

Viva Palestina aims to "work for the recognition of the Gaza genocide and lead international justice efforts," according to a website for the party, led by author and Palestine activist Dyab Abou Jahjah.

The party is "determined to eliminate Israel's apartheid system targeting Palestinians through sanctions and boycotts and to make Brussels a pioneer in the global struggle for this.”

It also aims to defend Palestinians' rights to self-defense, self-determination and statehood.

The Viva Palestina party is committed to leading international efforts to bring Israel's war criminals and those responsible to justice.

Meanwhile, a disciplinary investigation was initiated against Khadija Zamouri, a member of parliament from the Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats, for to her support for the Viva Palestina party.

Zamouri announced that she resigned from the party following an investigation and pressure campaign launched against her.

Israel has waged a brutal offensive on Gaza since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group, Hamas, on Oct. 7, which Tel Aviv said killed less than 1,200 people.

More than 34,300 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, mostly women and children, and nearly 77,300 injured amid mass destruction and severe shortages of necessities.

More than six months into the Israeli onslaught, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins, pushing 85% of the enclave’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine, according to the UN.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar