Belgium's Moroccan-born elected representatives decry statements of Israeli ambassador

Several Moroccan-born Belgian elected representatives and delegates of NGOs have decried recent statements by Israeli ambassador in Brussels, Chaul Amor, wherein he accused the Belgian government of adopting what he called a pro-Palestine policy to please Moroccan electorate.

"Moroccans want to control Belgium, and this explains the partiality of this country's foreign policy in the Middle-East conflict," the diplomat had said in statements carried by Belgian wide-circulation daily "Le Soir."

A 350,000 strong Moroccan community is settled in Belgium, where they are enjoying growing political influence.

The representatives said in a release sent to MAP that the Israeli diplomat's statements "seek to divert the attention of the international public opinion from the organized massacre perpetrated by Israel against the Palestinian people." "Such a discourse that we thought was bygone is worthy of the extreme right wing," they deplored.

"This is not the first time that the Israeli ambassador publicly attacks the Moroccan-born community," the representatives said, reminding the diplomat of "his diplomatic duty to observe reserve."

The representatives denounced the Israeli ambassador's statements as "racist and libelous."

Relations between Belgium and Israel strained over the past year due mainly to a case lodged in June 2001 against Israeli premier Ariel Sharon by 24 survivors of the Sabra and Shatilla slaughter.

The slaughter, perpetrated in September 1982 in the two Palestinian camps in southern Lebanon, were ordered and carried out by Sharon, then defense minister.

The case was lodged in accordance with the Belgian Universal Competence law, whereby courts of Belgium are entitled to sue those responsible for crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide whatever their nationality and place of residence and regardless of the nationality of the victims.