News / Israeli cargo airline appeals against Belgian arms shipment ban

Challenge Airlines has lodged appeals with the Belgian authorities against measures prohibiting it from transporting weapons and other military-related materials to Israel via Belgium.

The Israeli all-cargo carrier, which operates between Liège Airport and the US, is contesting a Belgian federal decree which reduces the scope of its licence to transport dangerous goods to Belgium, and excludes transporting weapons and military equipment to Israel.

Challenge has also taken issue with the adoption of a decree in the Belgian region of Wallonia, stipulating that the ban on transporting arms to Israel would also apply to goods in transit, including those that remain onboard an aircraft during a stopover.

It is not known when the court appeals will be heard, and when approached by The Loadstar no one at Challenge Airlines was immediately available to comment.

Applicable international law (including the Arms Trade Treaty of 2013, signed and ratified by Belgium) formally prohibits authorisation of arms transfers if there is evidence that such arms could be used to commit genocide, crimes against humanity or attacks against civilians.

In May, the International Court of Justice in The Hague recognised such a situation happening in Gaza and ordered Israel to immediately halt its military offensive. The Belgian authorities have complied with this judgement.

According to a Belgian media report a year ago, Belgian trade unions had called for a halt to the transport of military equipment for Israel passing through Liège Airport, and quoted Yossi Shoukroun, CEO of Challenge Group, who said its aircraft were carrying ambulances and food to Israel, not weapons.