Hawzah News Agency (Sint- Jans, Belgium) - The municipal council of Sint-Jans-Molenbeek approved the bill, which “gives a strong signal to politicians in Belgium to stop dealing with Israeli institutions that violate international law and contribute to settlement,” media reported.

The motion, reportedly adopted by a large majority earlier this week, is intended to “safeguard human rights and the application of international law in the field of public procurement.”

Sint-Jans-Molenbeek is the first municipality in Brussels to take such an initiative.

The Palestinian mission to the European Union, Belgium and Luxembourg welcomed the move in a statement.

“The decision constitutes strong political and moral support for the Palestinian people, supporting them in their response to serious violations of international law by the Israeli occupation and Israel’s refusal to comply with all UN resolutions on the Palestinian issue,” said the statement.

The mission also hailed the motion as a “courageous step that reflects the municipality’s solidarity and friendship with the Palestinian people.”

The motion was initially recommended in 2015.