The previous Israeli ambassador to France, Elie Barnavi, participated Monday night in a conference-debate night organized by the Free College of Brussels (ULB).
A mobilization bringing collectively a number of hundred college students was held on the sidelines of the occasion to denounce the arrival of the previous diplomat. For its half, the ULB declared that it had “every thing finished” in order that the convention can happen.
The convention “Israel-Palestine: the place are we going?” has been strongly criticized for a number of weeks by the ULB scholar occupation motion in help of Palestine. The approaching of Elie Barnavi “normalizes Israeli colonial coverage“, insists the coed motion, which factors to sure feedback made by the previous ambassador since October 7.
The ULB, nonetheless, maintained the occasion, which began at 6:00 p.m. on the Flagey cultural heart. She declared herself “devoted to the custom of free examination and cautious to not gas excessive positions“.
“We’ve got chosen to prepare debates bringing collectively a panel of specialists from the Center East, from a balanced and affordable perspective, to encourage dialogue fairly than tense positions.“, the administration underlined on Monday.
Barricaded neighborhood
The Flagey district was barricaded by the police a number of hours earlier than the beginning of the convention. The procession of demonstrators, who left the ULB round 5:00 p.m. to succeed in the sq., didn’t succeed – the encircling streets have been blocked by the police. A pumper was camped on the outskirts of the sq., and a helicopter was flying over the realm. The demonstrators have been then dispersed by the police earlier than being killed in a number of locations.
9 individuals have been arrested, police instructed the Belga company. No less than one particular person was “critically injured” to the top after receiving a number of baton blows, in accordance with the coed motion.
The college had indicated, in the course of the day, that it had “every thing finished” – notably on the safety stage – “in order that discussions can happen in circumstances conducive to a peaceful and constructive debate“.
The mayor reacts
Christos Doulkeridis (Ecolo) was on website Monday night to attempt to calm issues down, as reported by our colleagues from Bruzz. The demonstrators didn’t essentially perceive why he had licensed the arrival of Elie Barnavi in the city of Ixelles. “They suppose that as mayor, I arrange the convention. This isn’t the case. My position is to make sure that a convention wherein positions diverge can happen. It is usually vital that protesters are capable of categorical themselves. I’ve no downside with this.”
“I’m towards sure feedback made by Mr. Barnavi. However he doesn’t belong to the intense proper and might due to this fact take part in a convention.”
