Belgian justice minister confirms: 'Hamas is active in Belgium'

Belgian Minister of Justice Paul Van Tigchelt confirmed this week that the Hamas terror organization operates in Belgium.  

“So far, we know that Hamas is active in Belgium through various companies. The activities (...) focus on lobbying and fundraising,” the justice minister affirmed.

His comment came in response to a question about the presence of Hamas operatives in Belgium posed by Michael Freilich from the New Flemish Alliance party. Freilich, a Jewish member of the Federal Chamber of Deputies in Belgium, asked Tigchelt how it was possible that Hamas could be allowed to work in Belgium and if Belgium could intervene to stop it.  

According to German news outlet Jüdische Allgemeine, it has long been suspected that Hamas has “built up a wide-ranging network of supporters” in Belgium, however, this was the first time the government confirmed the suspicion.

The confirmation comes after Van Tigchelt stated in January that there was “no concrete indication that Hamas has targeted our country.”

In his reply, the justice minister did not mention the names of the various Hamas shell companies but did mention EUPAC, the European Palestinian Council for Political Relations.

EUPAC was founded in Belgium in 2022 with the official purpose of raising the “Palestinian question” with politicians and European institutions. Brussels houses several of the most important institutions of the European Union, including the European Commission and Council. According to Jüdische Allgemeine, “EUPAC operates at a prestigious address: Rond-Point Schuman 6, just a stone's throw away from the European Commission and the Council of the EU.”

The Belgian justice minister also brought up the name of British-Palestinian activist Majed Al-Zeer, who, according to German authorities, is a senior Hamas leader in Europe and coordinates the terror group's activities there.

“Der Spiegel, named Al-Zeer as the 'person responsible for Hamas' in Germany and across Europe,” the Daily Mail wrote in December 2023.

According to Van Tigchelt, Al-Zeer acted as the director-general of EUPAC, despite his name not appearing on the Belgian register of companies and associations where EUPAC is listed.  

There has reportedly been no information from the Belgian government regarding how to deal with the Hamas presence in the country.

Freilich urged the Belgian government to act immediately.

“Urgently stricter action is needed from our government: Terror group Hamas active in Belgium with fundraising and lobbying activities. Earlier it became known that Hezbollah did the same. Belgium as a hub for international terror?” he posted on 𝕏.

Israel warned Europe about the threat posed by Hamas as late as December 2023, when personal letters signed by Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli were sent to 20 European leaders. The letters contained evidence of Hamas terrorist activity and operatives of PFLP (Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine) in major European cities.

“Weeks have passed since the barbarism that Hamas committed against infants, children, the elderly, and thousands of Israeli citizens. This is not the time for ambiguity. I want to clarify this unequivocally. Hamas has proven that their goal is to kill Jews everywhere,” Chikli wrote.

“Since the massacre, calls for violence against Jews worldwide have increased by 120% – a shocking statistic. Unfortunately, Hamas's bloodlust is not limited to Israel and Jews but also extends to Europe and Christians. I want to remind you that in the past, Hamas members expressed the Islamic intention to conquer Europe,” he added.