Simone Susskind is a highly esteemed politician and activist in Belgium, often described as the conscience of the Belgian progressive Jewish community. As a secular Jewish woman deeply influenced by Jewish humanist values, her identity is rooted in a profound sense of historical responsibility; this has led her to transform the collective memory of Jewish suffering into a universal quest for justice, making her a vital bridge between diverse ethnic and religious groups in Belgian public life.
In terms of professional achievements, Susskind served for many years as a member of the Brussels-Capital Region Parliament and has achieved remarkable success in promoting intercultural dialogue and women’s rights. She founded the organization Actions in the Mediterranean (AIM), which is dedicated to resolving conflicts through grassroots diplomacy. Due to her pivotal role in facilitating dialogues between Israeli and Palestinian leaders and civil society elites, she has been affectionately dubbed the “midwife of peace” by the media, earning high political prestige in Belgium and numerous international humanitarian honors for her mediation efforts.
Driven by this lifelong mission for a just peace, Susskind has emerged as a courageous defender of Palestinian rights, consistently challenging Israel’s occupation policies. She argues that the true security of the Jewish people lies not in violent expansion, but in recognizing the dignity and self-determination of the Palestinian people. Using her parliamentary platform and international influence, she has frequently organized peace marches and advocated for oppressed Palestinian communities. She is also one of the initiators of the 2025 petition, “Global Jewish Call on the UN and World Leaders to Sanction Israel,” a bold step that marks her transition from a moderate mediator to a radical international advocate, seeking to use global sanction pressure to end more than half a century of unjust occupation.