Brussels Airlines is set to relaunch Tel Aviv service on August 13, but the baggage handling workforce that would service the flights is urging against it and demanding that workers be permitted to refuse to work any Tel Aviv routes without penalty.
The joint union front representing Alyzia workers at Brussels Airport says its members want to be “released” from the assignment “for moral reasons” and calling for a suspension of Israel flying “until the genocide in Gaza and the West Bank ends.” The Alyszia union also says they won’t accept El Al or any Israeli airline as a customer. They’re also demanding that Ryanair not resume flying.
Meanwhile Lufthansa Group carrier Swiss is slated to resume Tel Aviv service on September 29, and Eurowings on October 26. ITA Airways targeted September 1.
- Alyzia is the French ground-handling provider under long-term license at Brussels Airport through October 27, 2025, one of the two firms authorized for ramp and baggage handling.
- It took over Brussels Airlines’ home-base contract in 2021, covering ramp and baggage work and lost and found. It employs 5,000 staff across the company.
- The company hasn’t made any statements about an unwillingness to operate these flights. Rather, it’s the joint union front representing Alyzia workers that objects.
Brussels Airlines says it will crew Tel Aviv flights with volunteers. The union representing baggage handlers says that if that work isn’t staffed with volunteers, and other workers aren’t permitted consequence-free opt-outs, that they’ll “consider taking action.” Brussels Airport does have another licensed bag handler, Aviapartner.
I believe four things here are simultaneously true.
- For the average Gazan conditions are incredibly tough
- Hamas is pushing a famine narrative that goes beyond even the facts on the ground
- Hamas itself is culpable for those conditions, embedding itself in the civilian population, using them as shields, and stealing food aid.
- The union’s claim to genocide in the West Bank gives away that they aren’t primarily concerned with hunger, or current conditions, at all.
It’s also simultaenously true that Israel goes to unprecedented lengths in a conflict to limit civilian casualties and to provide humanitarian assistance to the citizens of its enemy, and that human suffering is significant and tragic.
To the extent that Hamas represents a significant threat to Israel, and an existential threat if allowed to remain in power and rebuild, Israel has a right and ethical justification for taking out that threat. Because Hamas uses the Gaza population as shields and propoganda tools, their suffering is exacerbated.
Ultimately any criticism of Israel over humanitarian conditions, then, also requires a clear statement by the critic of what they’d have Israel do differently while simultaneously eliminating this threat.
Meanwhile, famines in Sudan (e.g. Western Nuba) go unremarked upon despite state obstruction of aid. The junta in Myanmar imposed a blockade as ‘collective punishment’ that has pushed Rakhine State into starvation with aid workers intimated not to publish hunger data. Parts of Afghanistan have slid into famine under Taliban rule. There are far clearer causes where moral stands can be taken.
(HT: Cheryl)
Tough subject to express your opinion on to a diverse audience with strong views.
I think you navigated it well
These union members deserve a slap across the face for making a mockery of morality and swapping the evil doers with those preventing them from fulfilling their evil plot.
Well explained and stated, Gary.
Gary, pls do not try to confuse people with logic and well stated facts as it derails the antisemitic narrative…
Union should not get involved with politics, their purpose should be a reasonable work environment.
Dismantling those political unions, no workers should be taken as political hostages.
Gary, you forgot to mention one more (totally overlooked intentionally), which is a very ironic one:
These baggage handlers, most of whom are Moroccans living in Belgium (most with belgium citizenship now) 100% support the occupation (supposedly) of the nation on West Sahara by Morrocco for decades now.
No need to expand on how the arabs there are dealing with maintaining this occupation (the usual mass killings, “ethnic cleansing” etc etc.)
If this was antisemitism I would be appalled but Bibi should be in The Hague for Crimes Against Humanity so I can understand the baggage handler’s concerns.
More relevantly labor monopolies (unions) are subjecting the public to strikes motivated by the political views of whatever gang runs the union. For example, Swedes are being prevented from buying Teslas because the Swedish dock union doesn’t like non unionized car workers.
Amazes me how men like Putin and Bibi are so well guarded they never get taken out. They have to live in a bubble.
@christian: Please elaborate beyond Hamas propaganda regurgitated by MSM and feckless “Western” leaders.
@Joanie Adams: You have the roles flipped. You have it right with Ukraine but thanks to the MSM you have it flipped in regards to Israel.
If flights to Israel are boycotted by the baggage handlers, then Cuba and Vietnam should also be boycotted. Canada banned the sale of homes to Americans so Canada should be boycotted. Canada is lucky that Trump didn’t bomb Ottawa with B-52’s. The he did, Canada could release a goose to try to intercept the plane.
Thank you, Gary. It’s a challenging subject, and there have been protests in Israel over how best to end this war, return the hostages, and ideally rebuild the country so that this never happens again.
I also appreciate your inclusion of the world’s many atrocities that still seem to go unnoticed, including South Sudan, Myanmar, and Afghanistan. I’ve mentioned in other posts. Well said, again.
Some commenters above have used this as an opportunity to generally denigrate organized labor; yeah, some unions and members are gonna be wrong on certain topics, but we should not ‘throw out the baby with the bathwater,’ because collective bargaining and advocating for workers still has merit.
It’s also simultaenously true that Israel goes to unprecedented lengths in a conflict to limit civilian casualties and to provide humanitarian assistance to the citizens of its enemy, and that human suffering is significant and tragic.
LOL. Yeah Israel really goes to unprecedented lengths. Your coverage on this whole thing is so biased
Gary, you have done a very good job stating the facts of the war and Hamas’s pre-eminent role in keeping the Gazan population starving and in mortal danger every day. Facts that @Christian and @Joanie either ignore, conflate or just don’t care about because it would derail their Antisemitism.
Where was the outrage on October 7th? Serious, if any group of people had happen to them what happened to Israel on October 7th wouldn’t they go scorched earth on the people who did it? The US got into a decades long war after 3000 were killed in the name of Islam. Why out of all groups are Jews being accused of genocide and treated like this when the Palestinians were complicit as allies of Hitler perpetrating the largest genocide in modern history – since then the Palestinians have been openly calling for their extermination, but silence? Why do they get a pass for taking part in the murder of roughly 2000 times more people? Why aren’t Russians being taken off planes and refused service since Putin has killed about 10X more in his war? What does any of the conflict have to do with Belgium anyway?
What’s even more baffling is how it’s so much the left in the US that supports them – granted we all know it’s for 2 reasons: Trump supports Israel so they will just blindly do the opposite and equally important Jews are seen as having lighter skin and they base just about everything on skin color. Do they realize that the Shia Muslim extremist – who are the Palestinians and their main backers Iran – exectue people for being gay and treat women as property? Real smart everyone, let’s replace our only ally in a region of countries that have been calling for the death of the western world to replace it with an extreme Islamic theocracy.
Thanks for having the guts to tell the truth. As a fellowman I am proud of you.
The fifth point is that the real criminals are those from Gaza who murdered and kidnapped Israelis 2 years ago.
If the baggage handlers don’t want to work when it is part of their described duties, fire them. If you are taking the money, you do the job.
Great post!
@common sense – The IDF soldiers machine gunning desperate people trying to get to aid trucks and the insanely high death toll among Palestinian journalists, combined with the fact that Israel won’t permit journalists to see them in action is plenty of evidence. There’s lots more though. I have zero interest in listening to Hamas spew whatever self-serving lies suit their fancy so I don’t even bother listening to what they have to say. I do read BBC and Reuters because they’re high quality outlets with integrity and a noted lack of bias. Unfortunately the hardcore right wing bias in U.S. media makes it tough to trust domestic sources outside of NBC and maybe ABC.
@Christian: Your opinion that CBS, CNN, and MSNBC constitute hardcore right wing news sources is noted.
It’s not taken seriously, but it is noted.
So you approve of the settlements in the West Bank and the Isrealies living in these settlements killing Palistianians while the Isrealie military does nothing to stop this. There is no Hamas in the West Bank. These settlements have been growing for years.
You do not understand the basic idea of consequence.
Also Israel’s policy for years has not to allow a Palistianian state even through years ago under Clinton they said agreed to a Palistian state.
You should just deal with first world problems.
Living in comfort you think you understand the situation the Palistians are in?
PATHETIC
It has been repeatedly and openly proven that Reuters and BBC employ Palestinian propagandists as so-called journalists. They are very far from reputable sources.
@common sense wrote:
“The IDF soldiers machine gunning desperate people trying to get to aid trucks…”
Here ya go:
https://www.ajc.org/news/humanitarian-aid-in-gaza-whats-really-happening
“What’s really happening near Gaza’s aid sites?
Since Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF) began operations in May, international media—often citing figures from Hamas-run ministries in Gaza—have repeatedly reported large casualty numbers near its aid distribution sites. Recently, media outlets, the UN, and the Hamas-controlled Gaza Ministry of Health claimed that hundreds of Palestinians have been killed. However, many of these reports rely on unverifiable sources directly tied to Hamas. GHF Executive Director Johnnie Moore dismissed the casualty claims as part of “a disinformation campaign… meant to shut down our efforts,” accusing Hamas of “intentionally harming people for the purpose of defaming what we’re doing.”…
Moore emphasized that GHF, which has delivered over 51 million meals with U.S. backing, is “an independent organization operating with the blessing of the U.S. government” and one that works “in proximity to something,” noting that the dense overlap between civilians and terrorist infrastructure in Gaza is inescapable…
Despite criticism from some NGOs, the U.S. has committed $30 million to support GHF as a secure alternative to aid channels run by the UN and others that are regularly hijacked by Hamas. In a separate warning, GHF revealed it has received “credible” intelligence that Hamas has placed cash bounties on its staff—including American security personnel and Palestinian aid workers. “Twelve members of our local team have already been killed and others tortured,” the organization said, calling it part of a broader Hamas effort to disrupt the only functioning aid system in Gaza. “We remain targets of Hamas’s brutality for simply trying to feed the people of Gaza in the middle of a war,” said Interim Executive Director John Acree. “Yet we will persist.”…
GHF’s warning follows fresh evidence of Hamas looting humanitarian aid. A video posted by former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett showed armed Hamas operatives riding atop seized food trucks. This is in addition of numerous Palestinian voices from Gaza circulating on social media that decry Hamas for stealing and obstructing access to aid….”
OOPS! my above comment should have started “Christian says”, *not* “@common sense wrote”…
FWIW, the current ground services handling contract held by Alyzia at BRU was recently renewed and extended until 2032.
What is the name of the union(s) putting up a stink?
SO_CAL_RETAIL_SLUT
Gary Leff wrote:
“It’s also simultaenously true that Israel goes to unprecedented lengths in a conflict to limit civilian casualties and to provide humanitarian assistance to the citizens of its enemy, and that human suffering is significant and tragic…”
Thank you! Israel is unprecented in doing this. Has any other belligerent in a conflict given humanitarian assistance to the *other* side? I don’t recall the Germans giving “aid” to Poland or the USSR during WW II (in fact the Nazis instigated a “Hunger Plan” that deliberately starved millions of so – called “useless eaters” in the Slavic lands), the US giving aid to the North Vietnamese in our entanglement there, or the Allies giving aid to Gerrmany during WW I, which resulted in dire hunger and famine deaths for many… “etcetera”…
@christian: There are hundreds of thousands of cameras rolling in Gaza. Including journalists. Also including “journalists” (the type who are also, pregnant, women, and doctors, and the type of journalists who are killed doing their day job of being part of Hamas and being terrorists). No one has any video of these supposed massacres, yet, BBC, Rueters and others all post their inventions daily. It gets immediately disproven, but they would rather simp for their Hamas buddies (the AP shared an office with Hamas, for G-Ds sake!), than salvage whatever remains of their reputation. The next day, bang on again, as if yesterday’s sham never happened and they quote their very honorable Hamas buddies again.
@GM I’m absolutely certain that despite an entire lifetime of propaganda and training to commit genocide, the reluctance of the IDF to go back for multiple tours and becoming vegan due to what they’ve done is unprecedented.
As an aside, your defense of the Israeli’s “providing aid” seems to ignore the multiple bombings of Red Cross marked convoys, the seizure and sinking of aid ships, the intentional targeting of hospitals, and setting up machine gun nests around the few aid sites left.
Interesting that these moralists don’t care whatsoever for the emaciated hostages, kidnapped from a music festival in a brutal horrific raid where atrocities were committed, and forced by a well-fed Hamas terrorist to dig their own graves. Selective outrage I guess.
@Barry Graham — Holy crap! That was already two years ago??
@Jane Jacobs – wow, you misconstrue things. First, it’s the Paelstinians (and Arab governments before that) which have rejected all offers of a state. First, in 1948, Arab governments refused a state for Palestinians – demanding all of Israel (does ‘from the river to the sea’ sound familiar?). But consistently since then, not just the Clinton-brokered deal but even richer ones. Indeed, Clinton blamed Arafat for the failure and for undermining his legacy.
Your comment “settlements in the West Bank and the Isrealies living in these settlements killing Palistianians” is a non-sequitur and attempt to change the subject, making assumptions about where I am coming from there is groundless.
@Gaey: The settlements claims are also lies. For some reason, they find it acceptable to think that since the Palestinians already carried out an ethnic cleansing of Judea and Samaria in 1948 and was unsuccessful at genocide then, they are always entitled to keep on trying.
The answer is no, you don’t get to keep Judea and Samaria Judenrein.
@Common Sense — Well said on the Ukraine distinction (there, Putin clearly has violated the Budapest Memorandum, signed 1994, where in which the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia pledged to respect the independence, sovereignty, and existing borders of Ukraine). Ukraine is not Israel; Ukraine was attacked by a foreign dictator (Putin). Israel was attacked my terrorists (of course, backed by Iran).
While things are never ‘perfect’ anywhere, the USA (and the free peoples of the world, which should include the EU, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, S. Korea, etc.) should be siding with Israel (not Iran), Ukraine (not Russia), and Taiwan (not the CCP), in what appears to be expanding global conflict between superpowers. We can gripe about corruption in places (like the oligarchs who abused their power in Ukraine before this), but that’s not the real issue (the real issue is breach of that Budapest Memorandum since 2014 Crimea annexation, and the escalations since 2022).
I’m as center-left as they come (on economic and social issues), but I must say, on foreign policy,. the kids, who have made pro-Gaza their whole identity, are missing the point, and unfortunately, are prolonging this war and harming the other causes that they should care about. So, if they’re gonna ‘camp out’ at Columbia for this, they’d better be doing so for the Burmese, Afghans, and Sudanese, otherwise, it’s all a farce to me.
It is impossible for adults to have a civil conversation about this topic with blowing the anti-semitic and anti-palestine dog whistles while lobbing false equivalencies.
@parker: It’s good you didn’t capitalize the word “palestine”, because that country never existed.
I’ll say again: I get this is ‘complex’ but Egypt literally borders Gaza… if the Arabs actually cared about these people, why wouldn’t they open up, feed and house them all immediately? Hmm. Oh, they’re concerned about terrorists? Interesting. So is… Israel. Yeah. Think about it for a second.
Theres nothing ever simple about The ME, but in this case ENOUGH with the Ceasefires! Its been going on for 77 yrs now and every time Israel gets the upper hand The World yells and demands a ceasefire = only x years before theres another war! Why its simple The world WILL NOT allow Israel to win even 1 time. Everyone is screaming for a Ceasefire why arent they screaming for hamas to surrender and release the hostages!! All hamas had to do was release all the hostages and teh war would have ended almost 2 years ago, but they actually want everything that is happening to happen!
Other thing I think is interested about everyone thinking Spirit is not DL, UA and AA in terms of financial performance, it’s important to remember that not a single one of them are making much, if any margin on core operations. They are making their money of their credit card deals and selling miles to anyone and everyone. Without that revenue stream we’d all be pay a lot more for our flights.
Also, I have to wonder if Spirit is taking an unanticipated hit to revenue due to lower passenger volumes to/from Florida. I routinely fly in and out of FLL and have noticed that the planes are not a full as they have been during off-season in years past. I’ve flown into FLL on DL, UA, AA and NK and it’s been the same on all of them. Front is full, back is at best 2/3 full during non-peak hours. Very unusual. We’re also seeing it in the more touristy areas…less people.
@Parker — I agree with your analysis on airlines earning moreso from bank/card partnerships, but I think you meant for this in the other post… on Spirit. Bah!