Belgium will acknowledge the state of Palestine in the UN General Assembly
Maxime Prevot, the foreign minister, announced Tuesday that Belgium would recognize a Palestinian state at the U.N. General Assembly, increasing international pressure on Israel following similar actions by Australia, Britain, Canada, and France.
Israel has been infuriated by the promises made at a summit during this month’s U.N. event to formally recognize a Palestinian state, which comes amid growing international condemnation of its conflict in Gaza.
According to a post on X, Belgium will become one of the signatories of the New York Declaration, opening the door for a two-state solution—that is, a Palestinian state living in peace with Israel.
The decision was made “in light of the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in Palestine, particularly in Gaza, and in response to the violence perpetrated by Israel in violation of international law,” Prevot stated.
Additionally, Belgium will impose 12 “firm” penalties on Israel, including naming Hamas leaders persona non grata in Belgium, reviewing public procurement practices with Israeli enterprises, and prohibiting the importation of goods from its settlements, according to Prevot.
The Palestinians have long aspired to establish a state with East Jerusalem as its capital in the West Bank and Gaza, which are under Israeli occupation. According to the US, Israelis and Palestinians can only establish such a state through direct talks.
Prevot added that Belgium, a European Union member, decided to increase pressure on Hamas and the Israeli government.
Israel’s occupation of Palestinian areas, including the West Bank, and its settlements were declared unlawful by the UN’s top court in 2024 and should be immediately withdrawn.
Although Israel claims that the areas are not legally occupied since they are on disputed ground, the majority of the international community, including the UN, views them as occupied territory.
