Belgium Considers Recognizing State of Palestine, Vows Sanctions Against Israel

Belgium announced that it is considering recognizing the state of Palestine, vowing to impose sanctions against Israeli occupation forces due to its genocidal war on Gaza.

Belgium’s Minister of Development Cooperation Caroline Gennez announced the news today in a statement to Al Jazeera.

Quoting the minister, Al Jazeera said that the Belgian government is considering the recognition of Palestine.

“This [the creation and recognition of an independent Palestinian state] was necessary to achieve peace in the long term,” the report quoted the Belgian minister as suggesting, stressing that the minister also urged the Israeli government to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza.

While “on a usual day before October 7, there were 500 trucks necessary to supply what [people in Gaza] need,” only 600 trucks have come in through the Rafah crossing with Egypt since the start of the Israeli aggression in the besieged Palestinian enclave, Al Jazeera reported the minister as lamenting.

Belgium is also pledging $1.1 million additional humanitarian aid for Palestine, the report noted, adding this pledge comes as the European country vows to go on even further in its pro-Palestine push by calling for the imposition of sanctions on Israel.

On Wednesday, Reuters reported that Belgium’s deputy prime minister, Petra de Sutter, had notably called for an investigation into the bombings of hospitals and refugee camps in Gaza by Israeli occupation forces.

“It is time for sanctions against Israel. The rain of bombs is inhumane,” de Sutter minister said.

At the time of writing, Israeli occupation forces are intensifying raids in the occupied West Bank, including in the Jenin refugee camps, where more than 10 people were killed today.

Since October 7, Israeli warplanes have targeted hospitals, shelters, schools, and places of worship in Gaza, killing more than 10,500 people and wounding more than 26,000.