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Belgian peace activists pose as El Al employees to smear airline
Six 'Peace Action' activists dress up as flight attendants at aviation fair, hand out fake vouchers containing slanderous content in Flemish against Israeli airline, which they claim transports weapons for IDF
Six members of a pacifist Belgian organization impersonated El Al flight attendants during an international aviation fair in order to defame the airline, which they claim transports weapons for the IDF, Ynet learned Wednesday.
During Monday's incident, the six activists, who wore Hebrew name tags as part of their disguise, handed out fake vouchers referring visitors to the Israeli counter in order to receive free plane tickets to Israel. However, the vouchers contained slanderous content in Flemish against the Israeli airline.
The activists, members of the Peace Action organization, were questioned by the Brussels police and criminal procedures were opened against them.
Israeli Tourism Ministry employees were made aware of the ploy when people approached their booth and demanded free tickets to Israel, as promised by the impersonators.
When two activists entered the Israeli booth, the Israeli representatives summoned security guards, who called local police.
Dozens of anti-Israel groups operate in Brussels, the capital of the European Union. These groups have intensified their activity since the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza about a year ago.
In response to the incident, Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov said, "We will not be deterred and we will continue to take part in similar fairs all over the world."
