Belgian army continues arms trade with Israeli defence companies amid Gaza war
The Belgian Army continues purchasing ammunition and military equipment from Israeli defence companies even after the Gaza war began in October 2023. A VRT NWS investigation reported this on Monday.
Despite growing criticism and a regional arms transit ban, the new Belgian defence minister, Theo Francken (N-VA), has no immediate plans to halt these acquisitions. "There are no sanctions against Israel" he said in an interview with De Ochtend. "Israel is a very important trading partner when it comes to military deliveries," says Francken.
Following Hamas's 7 October attack, in which 1,200 people were killed, Israel launched a large-scale military response in Gaza, resulting in over 47,000 deaths. Several NGOs, including Amnesty International, have accused Israel of genocide.
In 2023, Wallonia imposed a ban on the transit of arms to Israel, and former federal development minister Caroline Gennez (Vooruit) called for an EU-wide arms embargo. However, the Belgian Army continued military trade with Israeli defence companies. A VRT NWS request for a detailed list from the cabinet of former defence minister Ludivine Dedonder (PS) confirmed these purchases.
Ammunition and equipment acquisitions
Since October 2023, Belgium has purchased 109.5 tonnes of ammunition from IMI Systems, an Israeli company acquired in 2018 by Elbit, one of Israel’s largest defence contractors. Elbit supplies surveillance and attack drones used by the Israeli military in Gaza and the West Bank. The Belgian Government has previously criticised the company and BNP Paribas for providing loans to Elbit.
Last summer, the Belgian Army also bought a Piranha armoured vehicle from the Israeli subsidiary of Danish company DSV. The list includes other Israeli defence firms with close ties to the Israeli Government.
State-owned suppliers
At least two of Belgium’s Israeli trading partners are state-owned. The Belgian Army purchased electronic components from Rafael, formerly a research unit within the Israeli ministry of defence. It also maintains two aircraft through Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), another government-owned company.
From a military perspective, purchasing from Israeli firms is not "illogical," said Diederik Cops, an arms trade researcher at the Flemish Peace Institute. "The war industry is running at full speed, and these products have also cynically already proven their effectiveness."
However, he stressed that Belgium must reconsider its stance: "By doing this, Belgium is stepping not only into a military relationship but also into a political relationship with Israel."
© PHOTO HANS LUCAS COLLECTION
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