Belgian politicians have been divided over the display of the Israeli flag on Antwerp town hall 10 days ago, with tensions coming to a head on Monday when one party displayed Palestinian flags beneath the Israeli one, and the Israeli one was stolen.
Every year, Antwerp’s town hall is decorated in national flags ahead of tourist season, specifically the flags of EU member states and of countries with consulates in the city or province of Antwerp. Given that Israel has a consulate in the city, its flag was displayed. However, on Monday night, the PVDA workers’ party hung two Palestinian flags under the Israeli flag, and a few hours later, the Israeli flag was torn down.
While it is an annual tradition to hang flags, the decision to raise the Israeli one caused anger among certain parties, with PVDA and coalition partner Vooruit opposing the move, according to Belgian newspaper HLN.
Vooruit party leader Kathleen Van Brempt told HLN: “There should be no normal protocol that condones the suffering of thousands. The horror that is taking place in Gaza today and the suffering of the innocent victims, both on the Palestinian and Israeli side, affects many Antwerp residents.”
On Monday evening, the issue of the flag was put to discussion at the city council meeting. Shortly prior to the meeting, PVDA hung the two Palestinian flags on the outside of the building, directly below the Israeli flag.
“Many Antwerpers are rightly angry that a country that is in the process of committing genocide is given a place on the façade of our city hall,” said PVDA party leader Manal Toumi, HLN reported.
Petition against displaying Israeli flag allegedly had 3000 signatures
“A petition against the Israeli flag was signed three thousand times in a few days. Tonight, there are also hundreds of people here with a clear signal: remove that flag.
“That is why we are raising the Palestinian flag today: an act of resistance against the implicit support for Israeli war crimes. With this, we want to show that the city council – unlike the city council – does listen to the signal of the people of Antwerp.”
The Palestinian flags were quickly removed. However, later in the evening, the Israeli flag was torn down.
MP Sam de Rooy wrote on X, “Antwerp City Hall in 2025: Islamo-communists from the Party of Antisemites manage to hang Palestinian flags. How (un)safe is our city hall? Not normal that this can just happen, it says a lot about the laxity in this country and in this city.”
According to HLN, Antwerp police are investigating the tearing down of the Israeli flag.