Belgium to recognise Palestinian statehood, impose sanctions on Israel

“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.

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”.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, from the Flemish nationalist party, said last month that recognising Palestine should be linked to strict conditions, according to Belgium’s Belga news agency.

At the end of July, President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would recognise Palestinian statehood when world leaders meet for the UNGA.

France and Saudi Arabia will co-host the meeting on Palestinian recognition during the UNGA on September 22. Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom have also said they plan to recognise Palestine this month, also with conditions.