AhlulBayt News Agency: A group of activists, including a priest, have begun a hunger strike inside the historic Beguinage Church in central Brussels, demanding justice for Palestine and urging the European Union to sever all ties with Israel.
The Beguinage Church, known for its social responsibility projects supporting migrants, the homeless, and the poor, is now hosting a five-day hunger strike to highlight human rights violations in Palestine.
Speaking to Anadolu, Priest Daniel Alliet called on the EU to take action against Israel, stating that the association agreement with Israel must be halted by June 23, with no economic or military cooperation.
Alliet criticized European policies, describing them as hypocritical for advocating a two-state solution while supplying Israel with weapons that contribute to the colonization of the West Bank.
He emphasized that Christians and the Western world must clearly reject these actions.
The hunger strike began with 10 participants, with more expected to join in solidarity in the coming days.
The strike was organized by Omar Karim, a Palestinian journalist based in Brussels, who drew inspiration from the hunger strikes of Palestinian prisoners.
Karim, who previously completed a 60-day hunger strike, stated that approximately 1,500 hunger strikers worldwide are currently advocating for Palestine.
He described the situation in Palestine as bloody, horrific, genocide, ethnic cleansing, and a massacre of children, emphasizing the urgency of their protest.
Their goal is to pressure the European Parliament and EU governments to publicly condemn Israel and end all forms of cooperation.
Michael Solan, an Irish activist, said they hold a daily hunger strike in front of the European Parliament from 8 AM to 6 PM, regardless of whether MEPs are present.
He stressed that their demand is clear: the EU must sever all ties with Israel due to its violations of human rights agreements and failure to uphold international justice.
Pascal Nieuwenhuis, from the Netherlands, explained that he could no longer remain passive at home and found that confronting politicians outside the European Parliament was the most effective way to highlight the crisis in Palestine.
At least 55,400 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s war in Gaza since October 2023.
Last November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its war on Gaza.
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