Belgium’s Governments Align on Gaza Conflict Response
Belgium’s federal and Flemish governments have forged agreements regarding their stance on the Gaza conflict, successfully averting dual political crises after extensive negotiations. Prime Minister Bart De Wever and his coalition partners have overnight endorsed the New York Declaration, a Franco-Saudi initiative that aims towards the recognition of a Palestinian state, reports 24brussels.
The federal agreement stipulates that Belgium’s formal recognition of a Palestinian state will only occur upon the release of all Israeli hostages and the exclusion of groups such as Hamas from Palestinian governance.
This deal introduces a series of sanctions, including an import ban on goods from Israeli-occupied territories, the withdrawal of consular support for Belgians residing in illegal West Bank settlements, and travel bans targeting two far-right Israeli ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, as well as Hamas officials.
Additionally, Belgium is set to boost humanitarian assistance, increasing its funding for Gaza from 7 million to 12.5 million euros, while advocating for UN-mediated humanitarian corridors.
Flanders
Flanders, led by Minister-President Matthias Diependaele, has reached its own agreement. However, Diependaele has refrained from disclosing specifics, stating he will first present the deal to the full Flemish government before addressing it in the foreign affairs committee of the Flemish Parliament later on Tuesday. This understanding is expected to impose stricter regulations on dual-use exports to Israel and reduce the activities of its trade promotion office. Flanders will also allocate 350,000 euros to the UN World Food Programme to support relief efforts in Gaza.
Both levels of government have also expressed intentions to advocate for a reassessment of Israel’s privileged trade status with the European Union.
