Greta Samberg joins Gaza Frotira with assistance from Barcelona
Activist Greta Samberg joined Barcelona’s flotilla to provide assistance to Gaza.
Sept. 2 (Reuters) – Belgium will recognize the Palestinian state at its UN General Assembly, Foreign Minister Maxim Prebat said on Tuesday, adding international pressure on Israel after similar moves by Australia, the UK, Canada and France.
With increasing global criticism of the war in Gaza, Israel has been furious at the pledge to formally recognize the Palestinian state at a summit during this month’s UN event.
Belgium joined the signatories of the New York Declaration to pave the way for a two-state solution or a Palestinian state that coexists peacefully alongside Israel, saying in a post in X.
The decision “distances in light of humanitarian tragedy in response to violence committed in Palestine, particularly in Gaza, and in response to violence committed by Israel in violation of international law.”
Belgium intends to recognize the Palestinian state as part of a joint diplomatic initiative led by France and Saudi Arabia, Prevot said. The move is described as a political signal aimed at condemning Israel’s expansion of reconciliation and military presence in the territory.
US President Donald Trump has criticized Canada’s decision to support the Palestinian state, and Rubio said the French decision was reckless. The White House did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment after a Belgian statement.
Belgium will also collect 12 “solid” sanctions against Israel, including a ban on importing products from the settlement, a review of public procurement policies with Israeli businesses, and a declaration of Persona Non Grata, Belgian leader Hamas, Prevot said.
The Foreign Minister of the European Union remained sharply divided during a meeting in Copenhagen over the war in Gaza on Saturday, urging Israel to put great economic pressure on them, while others firmly opposed such measures.
Palestinians have long been seeking the provinces of the West Bank and Gaza under Israeli occupation, and East Jerusalem is the capital. The United States says such states can only be established through direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.
Belgium, a member of the European Union, has decided to step up pressure on the Israeli government and Hamas, Prevot said.
Prevot also highlighted Belgian commitment to rebuilding Palestine, adding that the country would advocate “European measures to support new Belgian initiatives to target Hamas and combat anti-Semitism.”
The US said Friday that Palestinian authorities President Mahmoud Abbas would ban travel to New York for the UN summit in September.
West Bank
Reuters reported that it considers the annexation of the West Bank, which was occupied by Israel in August, to potentially deal with France and other countries that recognize the Palestinian state.
In 2024, the UN Supreme Court ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory, including Israel’s West Bank, and its settlement, was illegal and should be withdrawn as soon as possible.
Israel says that although the territory is not occupied by legal terms because it is located on disputed land, most of the United Nations and the international community consider them as occupied territory.
The annexation of Israel’s East Jerusalem and Golan Heights had not gained international recognition decades ago.
Israel launched an attack on the Gaza Strip in October 2023 after fighter jets from Hamas, the Palestinian extremist group that controls the territory, attacking Israeli communities, killing 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostages.
(Reporting by Mrinmay Dey of Bengaluru, edited by Clarence Fernandez and Stephen Coates)
