Screenshot from the live stream on Youtube;
On Sunday 18 May 2026, Amnesty International Luxembourg and the Committee for a Just Peace in the Middle East (CPJPO) organised a conference, examining whether Luxembourg’s financial and commercial ties with Israel place the country in breach of its obligations under international and humanitarian law.
According to the organisers, the event took place against the backdrop of the parliamentary scientific unit report of the Chamber of Deputies, recent rulings by the International Court of Justice and increasing pressure on European financial centres to align regulatory practices with international and humanitarian law.
The conference took place in Coque in Luxembourg-Kirchberg, bringing together more than 200 attendees and featured eight jurists, economists and political representatives. Speakers included Francesca Albanese, political economist Shir Hever and legal scholar Shahd Hammouri from Law for Palestine.
During the round table discussion, participants presented five recommendations which they said Luxembourg could implement within six to twelve months.
Irish Senator Alice-Mary Higgins called on Luxembourg and Ireland to block the planned September renewal of the Israeli sovereign bond prospectus by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF), which organisers said would prevent Israel from raising millions through bonds within the European Union (EU).
Shahd Hammouri argued that failing to exercise this discretionary power despite what she described as a “serious risk of complicity” would constitute a breach of obligations under international law. He also highlighted the need for strategic legal action against companies profiting from the conflict, arguing that pressure on Luxembourg’s financial sector could have broader international consequences.
Jean-Louis Zeien, representing the Due Diligence Initiative, called for binding legislation on corporate due diligence targeting financial and technology companies operating in conflict zones. He criticised voluntary measures as ineffective and urged the Luxembourg government to align legislation with its public statements.
European law specialist Alexandros Politis stated that Luxembourg possesses the legal sovereignty necessary to restrict trade with illegal settlements without waiting for wider EU agreement.
Meanwhile, Franz Fayot said the recent report clearly recognised what he described as “grave violations of international law by Israel” and argued that inaction by Luxembourg was not an option. He added that initiatives, motions and potentially draft legislation could be proposed during an upcoming parliamentary debate in Luxembourg.
