Anti-Israel activists vandalized and damaged the headquarters of two Belgian companies on Monday, which they claimed were arming Israel; however, a CEO claimed they were supplying tanks to Ukraine, according to Belgian media.
Activists from "Stop Arming Israel" targeted OIP in Tournai and Syensqo in Haren. Organizers claim they are enforcing "the military embargo against Israel imposed by Belgium in 2009," as well as demanding "sanctions against Israel, including the cancellation of the EU-Israel Association Agreement."
At around 5 a.m. in Tournai, about 100 masked activists entered the building and began vandalizing and destroying office space and computers, as well as damaging tanks intended for Ukraine.
About two hours later, at around 8 a.m., activists blocked access to the Syensqo headquarters and sprayed paint on the building. Police were called to remove activists who had chained bikes together to block access to the site. The activists accuse Syensqo of supplying parts for Israeli drones.
Supplying Ukraine with tanks
OIP is a subsidiary of Elbit Systems, one of the largest Israeli arms manufacturers; however, the CEO, Freddy Versluys, told Belga News Agency that despite being owned by an Israeli company, OIP had not manufactured defense systems for Israel in the past 20 years and that they did not have the licenses to export anything to Israel.
He emphasized that the OIP site in Tournai was exclusively focused on supplying Ukraine, and since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, they had supplied Ukraine with around 260 armored vehicles.
Versluys estimated that the activists had caused nearly €1 million in damages and set production back by at least a month.
Theo Francken, Defense and Foreign Trade Minister, condemned the group as "an extreme left-wing militia," saying the OIP was supporting Ukraine with military equipment. "If this were an extreme right-wing militia, the country would be in an uproar."