“The Israeli flag is part of the flag display and will therefore fly at the town hall,’’ said Antwerp Mayor Els van Doesburg from the New Flemish Alliance party.

A dispute has erupted in Antwerp over the Israeli flag flying on the facade of the City Hall.

The  flag has been flying there for years among the flags of other countries as they  represent 85 countries with which the city of Antwerp maintains relations, including Israel. This is part of the traditional flag display during the summer tourist season.

But a political party within the ruling coalition,  the Socialist Vooruit,  is now demanding that the flag be removed because of the situation in Gaza.

However Vooruit’s coalition partner, the New Flemish Party ( N-VA), refuses to remove the flag, arguing that Israel has a right to a spot on City Hall.

During a debate in the City Council, the Israeli flag briefly disappeared only to return shortly after. Vooruit leader Kathleen Van Brempt said ‘’we stand by our position that this flag has no place.’’

She said that it is customary in a coalition to take everyone’s position into account and added that flags of other countries that are not without controversy should also be removed.

But Antwerp Mayor Els van Doesburg from N-VA (the party of Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever) has refused to budge. As long as the Belgian Foreign Ministry does not issue explicit guidelines, there is no reason to change the existing protocol, she said. “The Israeli flag is part of the flag display and will therefore fly at the town hall,’’ she said.

The mayor acknowledged that there is no consensus within her coalition but drew no conclusions from that.