Belgian carnival to go ahead despite row over 'hateful' antisemitism

Organisers in Aalst say they will defy calls from Israel's government to cancel event

Organisers of a Belgian carnival, removed from a Unesco heritage list last year following criticism of its antisemitic floats, have said they will defy calls from Israel's government for Sunday's event to be cancelled.

Belgium's prime minister, Sophie Wilmis, also described the parade as an "internal affair" after Israel's foreign minister, Israel Katz, called for the authorities to "condemn and ban this hateful parade in Aalst".