Belgium will recognize the State of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) later this month, Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Prevot has announced.
“Palestine will be recognised by Belgium at the UN session! And firm sanctions will be imposed against the Israeli government,” Prevot, who is also the deputy prime minister, wrote on the social media platform X early on Tuesday.
The move comes as Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 63,459 people and wounded 160,256 more, with Belgium’s decision to recognize Palestine seen as a response to the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in Palestine, particularly in Gaza.
Israel will face 12 sanctions from Belgium, Prevot said, including a ban on the import of products from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and “a review of public procurement policies with Israeli companies”.
Prevot, a member of Belgium’s centrist Christian Democrat party, said Belgium was making the pledge “in light of the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in Palestine, particularly in Gaza”.
The foreign minister also said that recognition would only be formalised once the last captive has been released from Gaza and “Hamas no longer has any role in managing Palestine”.
The decision to recognize Palestine comes as several countries, including France, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, have also announced plans to recognize Palestinian statehood.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has strongly criticised these moves, describing France’s announcement as a “reckless decision” that “only serves Hamas propaganda”. Rubio has since announced that the US will deny and revoke visas for Palestinian officials in advance of the UNGA in New York.
The decision to recognize Palestine comes as a UN-backed monitor officially declared that famine is occurring in the northern Gaza Strip and is projected to spread to central and southern areas by the end of September. This development has sparked widespread concern and calls for action to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Last month, Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp resigned after he said he could not secure cabinet support for “meaningful” additional sanctions against Israel amid its brutal war on Gaza.
In July, Belgian prosecutors referred a war crimes complaint against two Israeli soldiers to the International Criminal Court (ICC), following allegations that they participated in atrocities in Gaza.
Belgium’s decision to recognize Palestinian statehood and impose sanctions on Israel is a significant development in the ongoing conflict.
The move reflects growing international concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the need for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how Israel will respond to these sanctions and whether other countries will follow Belgium’s lead in recognizing Palestine.