"Belgium: Activists protest at Syensqo and OIP over Gaza links"

As VRT News reported, this morning, June 23, 2025, activists protested at 2 Belgian companies, Syensqo in Brussels and OIP Sensor Systems in Tournai. They said the companies help Israel with “genocidal acts” in Gaza. The protests started around 7:45 AM, blocking roads to the facilities. At Syensqo, protesters also painted the building red to represent the bloodshed in Gaza. 

The activists say Syensqo provides parts for Israeli drones, used in military operations. They claim the company

“knowingly supplies a key component of a weapon known for its use in Israeli war crimes,”

Making them involved in the ongoing genocide.

What role do Belgian arms firms play in the Gaza war?

Protesters gathered outside OIP Sensor Systems in Tournai. This company is owned by Elbit Systems, an Israeli arms manufacturer. OIP is connected to making optical and targeting systems for the Israeli military. 

The protesters say companies like OIP and Syensqo should be responsible for their part in supplying arms, especially when these are used in operations causing civilian deaths and breaking international law. [...] 

Activists said Elbit supplies over 85% of the drones used by the Israeli army. They see Elbit as a key supporter of Israel’s military actions in Palestinian areas. Vandalising the equipment was meant to draw attention to the “war machine” that the protestors say involves Belgium through its defence firms linked to Israel.

“Elbit is the industrial arm of the genocide in Palestine. The fact that this company has branches in Belgium and makes a profit here is unacceptable,”

Says Camille, one of the activists.[...]

Belga News Agency invited both companies to respond. Syensqo said its composite materials are used in a wide variety of sectors, including automotive and civil and military aviation, and that it takes human rights “very seriously.” OIP CEO Freddy Versluys said the protest caused approximately 1 million euro in damages and delayed its shipment of armoured vehicles to Ukraine by about a month. He also emphasised that OIP operates independently and has not manufactured defence systems for Israel in the past 20 years.