Belgium to recognise Palestine, impose sanctions on Israel

 

Belgium will recognise the State of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) later this month, Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Prevot has announced.

 

“Palestine will be recognised by Belgium at the UN session! And firm sanctions will be imposed against the Israeli government,” Prevot, who is also the deputy prime minister, wrote on the social media platform X early on Tuesday.

 

Prevot said Belgium would also impose 12 “firm sanctions” on Israel, including a ban on importing products from the settlements, and “a review of public procurement policies with Israeli companies”.

 

Read more:

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/2/belgium-to-recognise-palestine-at-un-general-assembly-foreign-minister

 

How do the remaining hostages (perhaps 48) fit into this picture?

Isn't Belgium basically all Arabs now ?

30 minutes ago, NickyLouie said:

Isn't Belgium basically all Arabs now ?

 

The majority have no "imaginary friends", sensible people the Belgians.

 

No Religion/Unaffiliated: 57-59%
Roman Catholic: 31-40%
Muslim: ~6%
Other Christians (Protestant, Eastern Orthodox): ~1-3%
Other Religions: ~1%

Conditions required for Belgium to recognize Palestine 

 

 

"Notably, the signing of the declaration at the UN doesn't directly translate into recognition of the State of Palestine, but rather a commitment to recognition when certain conditions are met.

First, all of the conditions of the French-Saudi New York Declaration must be met. These include the "mutual recognition" of Israel in the Arab world, the Democratic elections in Palestine, and the agreement on Final Status talks between both parties.

Only after these conditions have been met, every last hostage is released, and Hamas is dismantled, Belgium's Foreign Minister will sign a decree that Belgium recognises Palestine; however, no official diplomatic relations will be established at the state level, no embassy will be opened, and no official deals will be signed.

The Belgian Government's official Agreement of the Federal Core Cabinet notes that it is “aware of the trauma that Israelis have experienced after the Hamas terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023, Belgium will only formalize this recognition of the State of Palestine by royal decree once the last hostage has been released and terrorist organizations such as Hamas have been removed from the governance of Palestine.”

At least they have some decency.

 

https://www.jpost.com/international/article-866067

9 hours ago, NickyLouie said:

Isn't Belgium basically all Arabs now ?

 

Probably seen better days. Haven't been there since 1992, but no waffles, pralines, or fries would lure me there these days... 😆

1 hour ago, StayinThailand2much said:

 

Probably seen better days. Haven't been there since 1992, but no waffles, pralines, or fries would lure me there these days... 😆

Nope, I was there two years again and it was awesome. Brussels - great city, great beer, great food. It was not "mostly Arab" as out little paranoid racist friend above would have you believe. He's probably never even been.

Once again, Belgium is trying to be important. It is a nothing nation that has a voice solely because of membership in the EU. Belgium has always been hostile to Israel. It really should not be holier than thou since it is a nation that should not exist. After all, the Flemish people have been blocked from reunification with the Netherlands.

What I find interesting about this story is bout how the media publish stories .

   How misleading some media outlets can be .

Belgium's requirements for recognising  Palestine state are :

Hamas being removed from power 

(What Israel wants )

Arab world recognising Israel's right to exist 

(What Israel wants )

All the hostages released 

(What Israel wants )    

Democracy in Gaza 

(What Israel wants )

 

Belgium are supporting Israel's campaign against Hamas , Al-Jazeera publish Belgium will recognise Palestine and readers come to the wrong conclusion .

   This story shows how misleading and deceptive Al-Jazeera is 

 

Recognition of a Palestinian state?

Belgium is committed to recognising the Palestinian state in due course but has attached important conditions to this recognition. In practice, this will only happen by royal decree once the last Israeli hostage has been released and terrorist groups such as Hamas have been removed from the Palestinian administration.

Mindful of these conditions, Belgium will join the signatories of the New York Declaration, which advocates a two-state solution. Belgium will also join the countries that will soon announce their recognition of the Palestinian state at the United Nations.

 

https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/en/2025/09/02/belgium-to-recognise-palestine-in-due-course/

2 minutes ago, Jeff the Chef said:

Belgium will also join the countries that will soon announce their recognition of the Palestinian state at the United Nations.

 

   That just isn't true .

Belgium will not be doing that anytime soon .

 

   Can anyone explain this ?

Two contradictory statements 

 

Belgium is committed to recognising the Palestinian state in due course but has attached important conditions to this recognition. In practice, this will only happen by royal decree once the last Israeli hostage has been released and terrorist groups such as Hamas have been removed from the Palestinian administration.

Mindful of these conditions, Belgium will join the signatories of the New York Declaration, which advocates a two-state solution. Belgium will also join the countries that will soon announce their recognition of the Palestinian state at the United Nations.

 

19 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

Once again, Belgium is trying to be important. It is a nothing nation that has a voice solely because of membership in the EU. Belgium has always been hostile to Israel. It really should not be holier than thou since it is a nation that should not exist. After all, the Flemish people have been blocked from reunification with the Netherlands.

 

The catalyst for the formation of Belgium was a revolution against Dutch rule. The Flemish people do not want reunification with the Netherlands, although a significant number favour the formation of an independent Flemish state.

On 9/2/2025 at 10:29 AM, CatCage said:

Belgium would also impose 12 “firm sanctions” on Israel, including a ban on importing products from the settlements

 

Belgium, like any other EU country, cannot impose any sanction unless it is the whole of the EU adopting them. It's one of the basic rules of the common market.

11 hours ago, RayC said:

 

The catalyst for the formation of Belgium was a revolution against Dutch rule. The Flemish people do not want reunification with the Netherlands, although a significant number favour the formation of an independent Flemish state.

 

The revolt against the United Kingdom of the Netherlands was incited by the Catholic Church and France which sought control of the  valuable ports and coastal area.  The Church was opposed to the Protestant King William I and the resulting loss of its influence and income.  Great Britain which was in a weakened following the end of the Napoleonic War supported the establishment of Belgium as a means of containing France's expansion. It also sought to weaken its colonial and  economic rival, the Netherlands.  It wasn't a coincidence that the first king of Belgium was backed by Great Britain. The future King Leopold was married to Charlotte, the only child of the future king George IV of Great Britain. Even after he was widowed, Leopold remained in England until he was appointed King of Belgium.The Germans and Austrians backed him because he was seen as a strategic ally, since he was a German and the son of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. In effect, Belgium is a country that only exists because the usual greedy foreign powers ganged up on the Dutch. The fact remans that Belgium only has a  soapbox to stand on because it is a part of the EU. If it wasn't the lapdog of France it would be treated no differently than Romania or Bulgaria.

6 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

 

The revolt against the United Kingdom of the Netherlands was incited by the Catholic Church and France which sought control of the  valuable ports and coastal area.  The Church was opposed to the Protestant King William I and the resulting loss of its influence and income.  Great Britain which was in a weakened following the end of the Napoleonic War supported the establishment of Belgium as a means of containing France's expansion. It also sought to weaken its colonial and  economic rival, the Netherlands.  It wasn't a coincidence that the first king of Belgium was backed by Great Britain. The future King Leopold was married to Charlotte, the only child of the future king George IV of Great Britain. Even after he was widowed, Leopold remained in England until he was appointed King of Belgium.The Germans and Austrians backed him because he was seen as a strategic ally, since he was a German and the son of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. In effect, Belgium is a country that only exists because the usual greedy foreign powers ganged up on the Dutch. The fact remans that Belgium only has a  soapbox to stand on because it is a part of the EU. If it wasn't the lapdog of France it would be treated no differently than Romania or Bulgaria.

 

A good summary of events but it in no way refutes my statement that the Flemish people do not want reunification with the Netherlands, although many favour the formation of an independent Flemish state.