Belgium to recognise Palestinian state, impose sanctions on Israel for two-state solution
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After several countries, including the UK, France and Canada, announced their plans to recognise a Palestinian state, Belgium also declared that it would extend recognition during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session, while simultaneously imposing sanctions on Israel over its brutal killing of Palestinians and refusal to yield to international pressure to halt the war.
The Belgian Foreign Minister confirmed that the recognition would take place in New York when the UNGA convenes between September 9 and 23, as part of a broader European push to pave the way for a two-state solution, a move that has unsettled Israel, which has repeatedly expressed unease over the growing support for Palestinian statehood across Western nations.
Belgium’s decision adds weight to the over a dozen countries that have already urged others to follow suit, thereby intensifying diplomatic momentum at the global level.
As part of its announcement, Belgium detailed the imposition of twelve sanctions against Israel, including a ban on the import of products originating from settlements, the review of public procurement policies involving Israeli companies, and the decision to declare Hamas leaders persona non grata within Belgian territory, signalling a dual strategy of applying pressure on both the Israeli government and the Gaza-based militant group.
The sanctions, framed as firm yet targeted, are designed to push for compliance with international and humanitarian law while attempting to bring tangible change to the ground realities in Gaza and the West Bank.
The move is expected to stir further diplomatic tension as Israel remains perturbed by the pledges of formal recognition of Palestine, while the United States maintains that a Palestinian state can only emerge through direct negotiations between the two sides.
Belgium, however, underscored that its actions were aimed at holding the Israeli government accountable for its conduct in the ongoing conflict without punishing its people, and at reinforcing the urgency of a political solution after months of unrelenting violence.
The Palestinians, who have long sought a state in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza, view Belgium’s step as part of a growing international recognition of their aspirations, though challenges remain as the conflict continues unabated and prospects for negotiations remain bleak in the face of hardened positions on both sides.