The Legal Department of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine welcomed the decision of the Court of Appeal in the Belgian capital, Brussels, which held Belgian state institutions responsible for the continuation of the genocide in the Gaza Strip due to their failure to take immediate measures in implementation of the International Court of Justice ruling issued in January 2024, which warned of a “real risk of genocide occurring in Gaza”.
The Legal Department praised the efforts made by human rights organizations and solidarity movements in Belgium, which collaborated and filed a joint lawsuit against the Belgian authorities in 2025, calling for a halt to the sale and export of weapons to Israel. Among these organizations are “Vredesactie” (Action for Peace), an anti-war peace movement; “INTAL,” which supports the rights of peoples in the Global South; the Belgian Human Rights League (Ligue des droits humains); and the Belgian solidarity network 11.11.11, which includes dozens of non-governmental organizations.
The Department noted that the organizations based their lawsuit on a set of legal considerations applicable to all states party to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, numbering 153 states. These considerations include: the 2024 decision of the International Court of Justice; Belgium’s formal accession to South Africa’s case before the Court; its recognition of the State of Palestine; the limited universal jurisdiction of Belgian courts; violations of Belgian arms trade laws and the risk of certain materials being used in military operations in Gaza; Israel’s violations of international humanitarian law; as well as strong public positions reflected in the decisions and legislation of some Belgian regional parliaments.
The Department explained that the Brussels Court based its ruling on grounds that represent binding obligations for all states. It affirmed the binding nature of International Court of Justice decisions and Belgium’s obligations under international agreements, particularly the Genocide Convention. It also emphasized that Belgian law recognizes the supremacy of international rules over domestic law, especially when a treaty has been ratified or when the rule constitutes a peremptory norm of international law. The Court further focused on the protection of fundamental human rights, including the right to life, and on the legal principle that preventing genocide is an obligation of conduct, not merely of result – meaning that any state aware of a serious risk is required to take reasonable measures to prevent it.
The Legal Department of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine called on all local and international judicial bodies to follow the example of the Brussels Court of Appeal by adhering to International Court of Justice rulings and halting the export of weapons to Israel and anything that could be used in military operations. The Department stressed that this decision, while representing a positive precedent in confronting ongoing Israeli violations of international law, also constitutes a ray of hope for all those concerned with the rule of law and the reputation of the international judicial system. This is based on the fundamental principle that restoring respect for international law and protecting human rights – especially in Gaza and Palestine – is a collective international responsibility that begins with holding Israeli war criminals accountable and prosecuting them internationally.