Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
BELGIUM WILL RECOGNISE the State of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in September, its foreign minister announced today.
“Palestine will be recognised by Belgium at the UN session! And firm sanctions are being imposed against the Israeli government,” Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot wrote on X.
In July, French President Emmanuel Macron said France would recognise a Palestinian state at the UN meeting, due to be held from 9 September to 23 September in New York.
More than a dozen other Western countries have since called on others to do the same, including Ireland, which alongside Spain and Norway officially recognised Palestine in 2024.
Prevot said the decision came “in view of the humanitarian tragedy” unfolding in Gaza, where Israeli offensives have displaced most of the population at least once and the UN has declared a famine.
“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.
“This is not about punishing the Israeli people, but rather about ensuring that its government respects international and humanitarian law and taking action to try to change the situation on the ground,” he added.
© Agence France-Presse
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say