Belgium will officially recognise Palestine as a state at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) later this month, as announced by Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot.
“Palestine will be recognised by Belgium at the UN session! And firm sanctions will be imposed against the Israeli government,” Prevot, who also serves as the country’s deputy prime minister, posted on social media platform X early on Tuesday.
Prevot further revealed that Belgium would enforce 12 “firm sanctions” on Israel, including a prohibition on importing goods from Israeli settlements, as well as a reassessment of public procurement policies with Israeli firms, reports Al Jazeera.
The minister noted that this move was prompted by the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Palestine, particularly in Gaza.
In late July, French President Emmanuel Macron had declared that France would recognise Palestine at the UNGA, which is scheduled to take place from September 9 to 23 in New York.
Following France’s announcement, several other nations have stated they will follow suit, although some are considering attaching conditions to their recognition.
By April 2025, 147 countries, accounting for 75 percent of UN members, had already acknowledged Palestine’s statehood.
Belgium’s announcement coincides with Israel’s ongoing military operation in Gaza, which has claimed at least 63,459 lives and left 160,256 others injured.
Earlier this year, in July, Belgian prosecutors referred a war crimes complaint to the International Criminal Court (ICC) against two Israeli soldiers, accusing them of involvement in atrocities during the Gaza conflict.
