Key points:
- Belgium to recognise Palestine at the UNGA this month and impose sanctions.
- Sanctions include a ban on products and restrictions on public contracts.
- Recognition comes amid Gaza war, where over 63,000 people killed
BRUSSELS: Belgium has announced it will recognise the State of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) later this month, joining a growing number of countries taking steps toward Palestinian statehood amid Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza.
Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot, who also serves as deputy prime minister, said on Tuesday that Belgium would pair recognition with 12 “firm sanctions” against Israel, including a ban on imports from illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and tighter scrutiny of public contracts with Israeli companies.
“Palestine will be recognised by Belgium at the UN session! And firm sanctions will be imposed against the Israeli government,” Prévot wrote on X. He framed the move as a response to the “humanitarian tragedy” unfolding in Palestine, particularly in Gaza.
However, the minister stressed that recognition would be formalised only after the last Israeli captive is released from Gaza and “Hamas no longer has any role in managing Palestine.”
Belgium’s move comes ahead of a high-level UNGA session on September 22, which France and Saudi Arabia will co-host. France, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom have also signalled readiness to extend recognition under certain conditions. Currently, 147 UN member states, representing nearly three-quarters of the world, already recognise Palestine.
The decision has drawn condemnation from Israel and the United States, who argue such recognition undermines peace efforts. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich previously threatened to expand illegal settlements in retaliation against countries recognising Palestine.
The announcement follows escalating international calls for sanctions against Israel. Last month, Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp resigned after failing to secure cabinet backing for stronger measures. Meanwhile, UN rapporteur Francesca Albanese has urged states to impose arms embargoes and sanctions to pressure Israel to halt its assault on Gaza.
Belgium has also taken steps on the legal front. In July, prosecutors referred a war crimes complaint against two Israeli soldiers to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The move comes as Gaza reels under Israel’s bombardment, with at least 63,459 people killed and 160,256 wounded, according to Palestinian authorities. A UN-backed monitor declared famine in northern Gaza last month, warning it could spread south by the end of September.
