Belgium Drops Bombshell: Sanctions on Israel & Recognition of Palestine
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot declared that Brussels will move at the upcoming UN General Assembly to recognize a Palestinian state, while imposing 12 new sanctions on Israel, including banning settlement imports and limiting consular aid, but stressed recognition will follow only after hostages are freed and Hamas is out of power.
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Belgium announced a dramatic diplomatic move as Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot confirmed overnight that his country will formally recognize a Palestinian state during the upcoming session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, while at the same time rolling out a package of 12 new sanctions on Israel.
Prévot stressed that Belgium’s recognition of Palestine would only become official under two conditions: the release of all Israeli hostages held in Gaza and the removal of Hamas from power. He insisted the move is designed to increase pressure both on the Israeli government and on Hamas, while signaling support for Palestinians seeking statehood.
According to the minister, the recognition will be codified through a royal decree once those conditions are met. “This is not against the people of Israel,” he said, “but against violations of international law and the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in Gaza.”
The Belgian government unveiled a sweeping list of measures meant to isolate both Israeli and Hamas officials:
In addition, Belgium will push at the European Union level for the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, as well as halting joint research and development projects.
Prévot linked the moves to what he described as the “humanitarian tragedy in Palestine, particularly in Gaza”, accusing Israel of repeated violations of international law. He emphasized that Belgium will also expand efforts to combat antisemitism in partnership with local Jewish communities, underscoring that the measures are aimed at governments and armed groups, not at Jews as a people.
Belgium is also expected to join the New York Declaration, a joint initiative spearheaded by France and Saudi Arabia, which promotes formal recognition of a two-state solution at the international level.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who recently visited Brussels, welcomed the step as a milestone for international recognition. In contrast, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed out at the initiative, warning that “European states considering recognition of a Palestinian state are rewarding terror.”