Belgium to recognize Palestine as a state and impose sanctions against Israel

Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot has announced that Belgium will recognize the State of Palestine at the U.N. General Assembly (UNGA) later this month, Al Jazeera writes.

“Palestine will be recognized by Belgium at the U.N. session! And firm sanctions will be imposed against the Israeli government,” Prevot said.

Israel will face 12 sanctions from Belgium, Prevot said, including a ban on the import of products from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and “a review of public procurement policies with Israeli companies”.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, from the Flemish nationalist party, said last month that recognising Palestine should be linked to strict conditions, according to Belgium’s Belga news agency.

At the end of July, President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would recognise Palestinian statehood when world leaders meet for the UNGA.

France and Saudi Arabia will co-host the meeting on Palestinian recognition during the UNGA on September 22. Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom have also said they plan to recognise Palestine this month, also with conditions.

Israel and the United States have strongly criticised countries moving to recognise Palestine, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio describing France’s announcement as a “reckless decision” that “only serves Hamas propaganda”. Rubio has since announced that US President Donald Trump’s administration will deny and revoke visas for Palestinian officials in advance of the UNGA in New York.