The display of an Israeli flag at Antwerp’s historic city hall has set off a political storm in the Belgian city, with protests, vandalism, and threats against Mayor Els Van Doesburg and her son. The flag was raised as part of the city’s summer display of nearly 100 flags from June 15 to September 15, when Antwerp flies the flags of EU countries and states with diplomatic representation in the province. Because Belgium has formal diplomatic relations with Israel, the blue-and-white flag was included among 94 flags shown during the tourist season.
That decision has sharply divided residents and local leaders amid the war. Protesters and activists, including residents who say the city has lost its moral compass, are demanding that the Israeli flag be removed, as the Russian flag was removed in the past. The anger has spilled into the streets through weekly demonstrations by the Antwerp Coalition for Palestine in the central square, some of which have turned into clashes and arrests. City hall has also been covered with stickers and slogans, and unknown vandals sprayed a huge graffiti message over the Kennedy Tunnel on the highway toward Ghent reading, “Remove this flag,” alongside a drawing of the Israeli flag crossed out in red.
Van Doesburg, of the right-wing conservative N-VA, says she will not back down. She insists the decision is neutral and based on objective criteria, not an endorsement of any government policy. But she says the personal cost has been severe. “I receive death threats, my son receives death threats, there are people who think they need to set my house on fire,” she said, adding that left-wing politicians are creating a violent atmosphere and systematically targeting her.
The dispute has also fractured the city coalition. Vooruit, the senior socialist coalition partner, broke ranks and sided with opposition demands. City council member Kathleen Van Brempt said, “This is not about a flag, it is about a message, a clear message from the city administration that is supposed to be there for every resident in Antwerp.” Vooruit has proposed replacing all national flags with a neutral peace flag or EU flags. At the next city council meeting, left-wing factions PVDA and Groen, together with Vooruit, plan to present two bills calling for the flag’s immediate removal and a rewrite of the protocol, but Van Doesburg is expected to defeat them with support from Vlaams Belang councillors.
