Belgium also prepares to join the initiative of Saudi France and Arabia, and will recognize Palestine during the UN General Assembly in New York “to preserve the possibilities of a solution of two states.” With one condition, yes: the administrative formalization of this step will only be given and renounced to any government activity in the future Palestinian state, as announced by the Vice Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Maxime Prévot, this Tuesday.
The decision, taken from Wever’s flamenco nationalist Bart for his lukewarm to the Benjamín Netyahu executive, also includes the imposition of 12 “firm” national sanctions. Among them, the statement as a person not grateful of two ultras Israeli ministers or the prohibition of importation of illegal settlement products.
“In view of the humanitarian drama that develops in Palestine and especially in Gaza, and in the face of violence perpetrated by Israel in violation of international law, taking into account its international obligations, including the right to prevent any risk of genocide, Belgium had to make strong decisions to increase pressure on the Israeli government and Hamas terrorists,” said Prévot in a statement published in the social network in the social network.
“Palestine will be recognized by Belgium in the UN session and firm sanctions will be taken against the Israeli government. Any act of anti -Semitism or glorification of terrorism by Hamas supporters will also be denounced more firmly,” said decisions taken during the second meeting in less than a week of the main members of the Wever Government.
The movement also arrives after the informal appointment of EU Foreign Ministers in Denmark on Saturday, where it was clear that, although more and more countries advocate to sanction the Netanyahu government, there is still no way to achieve a consensus of the twenty -seven, not even a qualified majority, to adopt joint firm measures.
If Wever did not adopt a firmer position against Israel and agreed to recognize the Palestinian state during the UN General Assembly in September, together with France, the United Kingdom and other countries that have announced their intention in the annual New York appointment.
Together with the Deputy Prime Minister, of the Francophone Centrista Party, you dwell them, the other two minority partners of the coalition, the Cristianodemocrats and Socialist Flamencos CD & V and Vooruit were positioned. On the other hand, although also with more and more internal division, the majority partners of the federal government, the N-VA of Wever and the French-French-Centrodetic Centrodetha Movement were positioned, reluctant to take the passage of Palestine’s recognition.
During a press conference held last week in Berlin, from Wever, he opened to recognize the Palestinian state but “linked to conditions” that enable a solution of two states, including the demilitarization of Hamas, the release of hostages and security guarantees for Israel. “If these conditions are met, Palestine recognition is logical. If it is not done, recognition would be useless and even counterproductive,” he said.
The agreed route now implies that Belgium will recognize Palestine “as a strong political and diplomatic gesture to preserve the possibilities of a solution of two states and underline the condemnation of Israel’s expansionist will with its colonization programs and its military occupations,” explains Prévot in his statement. “Palestine will therefore be clearly a fully recognized state in the international scene in Belgium.”
However, in recognition of Israeli pain after the terrorist attack of October 7, 2023 that began the military offensive against Gaza, “the administrative formalization of that recognition (…) will only be carried out when the last hostage is released and that Hamas no longer assumes any Palestine management,” says the agreement, according to the head of the Belgian diplomacy.
The measure is accompanied by 12 sanctions to the Israeli Executive, who are part of the package that Prévot had already demanded last week: among others, he points out, the importation of products from settlements will be prohibited, the public purchasing policy with Israeli companies will be reviewed, the consular help will be restricted to the Belgians who live in illegal settlements, the prohibition of the overcoming and traffic Belgium of arms bound for Israel or the declaration of person not grateful in the country of two extremist Israeli ministers-Itamar Ben-Gvir (Security) and Bezalel Smotrich (Finance), as previously advanced-as well as several “violent settlers and Hamas leaders.”
In addition, Belgium is committed to the suspension measures of collaborations with Israel that the qualified majority require, including the suspension (of the commercial part) of the Association Agreement with the EU, or the suspension of research or technical cooperation programs, adds the minister.
