Belgium to recognise Palestine and impose sanctions on Israel

Belgium will recognise Palestinian statehood at the United Nations General Assembly and impose 12 sanctions on Israel, Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot announced, 2 September, in response to what he called ‘the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in Palestine, particularly in Gaza.’

‘Palestine will be recognised by Belgium at the UN session. And firm sanctions are being imposed against the Israeli government,’ Prevot, who is also deputy prime minister, wrote on social media platform X.

The foreign minister said Belgium was taking action ‘given its international obligations, including the duty to prevent any risk of genocide.’

Prevot emphasised that the measures target the Israeli government, not the Israeli people, saying, “[I]t is not a question of sanctioning the Israeli people, but of ensuring that its government respects international and humanitarian law.”

The dozen sanctions include a ban on imports of products from Israeli settlements, review of public procurement policies with Israeli companies, restriction of consular aid to Belgians living in settlements that are illegal under international law, possible legal proceedings, overflight and transit bans, and placing two extremist Israeli ministers, several violent settlers and Hamas leaders on Belgium’s no-entry list.

In July, the Netherlands announced plans to impose unprecedented sanctions against Israel over Gaza, declaring it would pursue suspension of trade agreements if humanitarian conditions failed to improve. The European Commission has also proposed suspending Israel from parts of the EU’s Horizon Europe research programme.