Over half of Belgian residents believe the country and the European Union (EU) should take stronger action against Israel to end its "illegal occupation of Palestinian territories", a survey showed.
Every year, CNCD-11.11.11, a coalition of NGOs, surveys people in Belgium on topics related to international solidarity. This year, the International Solidarity Barometer 2024, in collaboration with Belgian news organisation Le Vif, asked about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and situation in Gaza.
The survey asked 1,504 people in Belgium aged 18 and over whether they were in favour of or against an immediate ceasefire in Gaza: 73% said they were in favour, while 6% were against. Around one in five people had no opinion.
Meanwhile, more than half (54%) of people said Belgium and the EU should take more action, such as imposing economic sanctions and offering aid to residents, to put an end to the "illegal Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories".
Finally, almost half (49%) are in favour of imposing a ban on products from Israeli settlements in Palestine "so as not to contribute to their funding". Of all respondents, 14% were against and around four in ten had no opinion.
Related News
- Belgian Foreign Ministry deplores Israeli ban on UN relief agency
- Middle East: EU calls for de-escalation after Israel’s air strikes against Iran
- At least 32,000 march in Brussels for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon
The 2024 Barometer also revealed the increasing polarisation over the climate crisis. The majority of people in Belgium (two-thirds) support a move away from fossil fuels, but contestation is gaining ground.
"A large majority of Belgians continue to support the European Green Deal measures to combat climate change, but the trend is downwards compared to the 2023 Barometer," the organisation said. The proportion of those opposed is growing because many people without an opinion have changed their minds in previous years.
