Published On 4/6/2026
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Last update: 14:08 (Mecca time)
Amnesty International announced that it has joined a judicial complaint filed in Belgium against FedEx Belgium, on the grounds of its illegal transfer of weapons, including spare parts for F-35 fighter jets, which the organization said Israel used during its aggression against the Gaza Strip.
The organization included its name in the complaint of a coalition of civil society organizations, including the Belgian “Peace Organization,” the “Human Rights League,” and the “National Coordination for Action for Peace and Democracy.” This coalition filed a criminal complaint against the Belgian branch of the American Shipping Company with the Public Prosecutor in the city of Liège in the Wallonia region.
The organizations say that, according to the laws of Wallonia, FedEx Belgium was required to obtain a license to transit the shipment from the local authorities, but it did not do so, which makes transporting these weapons without a license a criminal offense under Belgian law.
According to information published on the FedEx website, in October 2024, a shipment subject to US regulations on international arms trafficking was transported from Hale Air Force Base in Utah to Nevatim Military Air Base in Israel. The shipment was unloaded at Liege Airport, then transported by land to Cologne Airport in Germany, before being transported to Israel. Subsequent media reports also indicated suspicions of the illegal transit of more shipments through Liège Airport, in light of a failure to enforce local laws.
Karen Thibault, director of the Belgian branch of Amnesty International (French-speaking), said that F-35 fighters “left large numbers of deaths and widespread destruction” in Gaza, stressing that countries, including Belgium, have a legal duty not to contribute to the “illegal Israeli occupation” or genocide, including stopping the transfer or transit of weapons that could be used in crimes covered by international law.
In 2024, the Wallonia authorities suspended licenses to export explosive powder to Israel and banned the transit of weapons through Liège and Charleroi airports, based on a decision by the International Court of Justice and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. Another judicial investigation was opened by the Federal Public Prosecutor.
FedEx Belgium, in response to a request for comment, said that it adheres to laws and regulations, does not ship weapons or ammunition internationally, and that it adopts strict screening procedures to prevent such shipments.
