The Belgian city of Verviers has become the latest city in Europe to cut its “ties with the Israeli apartheid regime” to “strengthen its support for the Palestinian people.”
Verviers follows the Belgian city of Liége, whose city council last month decided to end ties with Israel, citing its regime of “apartheid, colonization and military occupation.” Also, in April, Oslo (Norway) decided to exclude companies that directly or indirectly contribute to Israel’s illegal settlement enterprise, and in February, the mayor of Barcelona (Catalonia, Spanish state) decided to suspend institutional ties with apartheid Israel. Elsewhere, the mayor of Belém (Brazil) has recently declared the city an Apartheid Free Zone.
The Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC), the largest coalition in Palestinian society, salutes Vervier's decision and applauds the tireless work of the Belgian civil society that has made this possible. We call on cities worldwide to follow the inspiring examples of Verviers, Liége, Oslo, Barcelona, and Bélem by severing ties with apartheid Israel in support of the Palestinian struggle to #DismantleApartheid!