Belgium will recognize a Palestinian state at this month’s UN General Assembly and will impose sanctions on Israel over the war in Gaza, Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said on Monday.
“Palestine will be recognized 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.
In July, French President Emmanuel Macron said France would recognize a Palestinian state at the UN meeting, due to be held from September 9 to 23 in New York.
More than a dozen other Western countries have since called on others to do the same.
The decision comes “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 added.
“In the face of the violence perpetrated by Israel in violation of international law, given its international obligations, including the duty to prevent any risk of genocide, Belgium had to take strong decisions to increase pressure on the Israeli government and Hamas terrorists,” Prevot wrote, according to AFP.
Australia and Canada have also said they plan to recognize Palestine this month. The UK said it will recognize the state of Palestine by September unless Israel takes “substantive steps” to end its war on Gaza and commits to a lasting peace process.
The US and Israel criticized the move, calling it a “reward for Hamas” that would only undermine diplomatic efforts to end the war on Gaza.
