Belgian court orders halt to Israeli weapons shipments via Antwerp port
A Belgian court has ordered the Flemish Region to immediately halt the transit of defence-related products and military equipment to Israel through Antwerp port, citing violations of arms trade regulations and international law.
The Court of First Instance in Brussels issued interim measures last week requiring authorities to stop the transit of a specific container loaded with ball bearings destined for Israeli military vehicle transmission systems, while imposing broader restrictions on weapons shipments to Israel pending a full trial.
The case centers on a ship container carrying three pallets of tapered roller bearings destined for an unnamed Israeli firm, identified as the sole Israeli producer of transmission systems for Merkava tanks and Namer armored personnel carriers regularly deployed in Gaza.
The court found that the ball bearings fall under the EU Common Military List as defence-related products requiring transit permits under Belgian weapons trade legislation. No permits had been requested for the shipment, which arrived at Antwerp in early June.
‘The applicants make it prima facie sufficiently plausible that the ball bearings are intended for use in military vehicles,’ the court said.
Four NGOs – Forum for Peace Action, Human Rights League, Globalize Solidarity, and 11.11.11 – brought the case after reporting the shipment to the Strategic Goods Control Service in June. The groups argued the transit violated arms embargo obligations and international law regarding genocide prevention.
The court imposed sweeping restrictions requiring authorities to halt any transit of defence-related products and military equipment to Israel where ‘no material certainty is provided that it will be used exclusively for civilian end-use and will not in any way have an unauthorized end-use’.
The ruling noted that five ships sail monthly between Antwerp and Israeli ports, with limited oversight of potentially restricted cargo. The ruling referenced ongoing criminal investigations against shipping companies for ammunition transit to Israel.
Flemish authorities face fines of €50,000, equivalent to about $58,000, for each prohibited transit, with penalties capped at €5 million.
Belgian weapons trade regulations require permits for defence-related exports when goods are transferred between transport modes outside the European Union, or when exporters know shipments may facilitate genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes under international treaties.
The interim measures remain in effect pending a full court hearing. The ruling represents a significant enforcement action amid growing international pressure for arms embargoes against Israel over conduct in Gaza.
An email for comment to the Antwerp port authority did not receive an immediate response.
