Broederlijk Delen (BD) is a Belgian Catholic organization for development cooperation. They claim to combat poverty and inequality by working with local organizations, and their activities demonstrate a strong political agenda that promotes a one-sided narrative demonizing Israel. Brigitte Herremans is the organization’s Policy officer for the Middle East (see below).

Funding

In 2014 (latest data available), the Belgian government provided nearly €6 million to Broederlijk Delen, including €264,000 for Broederlijk Delen’s projects in “Israel/Palestine.”

Political activities

  • Claims that: “Unlike the Palestinian people, the Israeli people has more than 60 years of statehood, established on 78% of historic Palestine.” (Translated from Dutch)
  • Held a public event on “Peaceful resistance in Palestine and Israel” in May 2016.
  • A signatory to “Trading Away Peace” (2012) that repeats the BDS agenda, calling on EU and individual European governments to impose economic sanctions on Israel.
  • Organizes and brings participants on “Alternative Tours/Political Tours,” meeting only with groups that support BDS, demonize Israel, and blame for the conflict entirely on Israel’s “occupation.”

Funding for NGOs involved in demonization (partial list)

Brigitte Herremans: Policy officer for the Middle East with BD and Pax Christi

  • Herremans was denied entry to Israel on 09 September 2016 (to lead an Alternative Tour), resulting in a major media focus and debate in which she was active.
  • In an interview on Flemish Radio 1 on 12 September, Herremans called for “sanctions against Israel” and to “subject Israeli citizens who come to Belgium to interrogation.”
  • In the same interview, when asked about reports that showed that Belgium was among a group of Western European countries in which a rise in anti-Semitism has been seen, Herremans  accused ““Israel’s allies” of “inflating” the country’s anti-Semitism problem to distract from its treatment of Palestinians.”
    • This claim was repeated in multiple media outlets in Belgium and Israel.
  • She explained that she”…had anticipated the possibility of deportation as Israel is stepping up its efforts to smother dissent and human rights’ activism in Palestine & Israel and abroad…” (Facebook post, September 10)
  • Tweeted a picture (below) of the fringe anti-Zionist Neturai Karta, as proof that: “Within the Jewish community, there are plenty of visions of #Israel..Civilized disagreements are a blessing.” (September 13, 2016)

herremans-tweet1

  • Tweeted: “#Israel is mistaken if (it believes) peace activists (are) turning the country. Weakness (is) a sign of radicalization” (translated from Flemish, September 13, 2016)
  • Tweeted: “Incident of expulsion of employee @broederlijkdele shows once again how much Israel fears human rights activists” (translated from Flemish, September 12, 2016)