Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the U.S. Independence Day reception, known as the annual “Fourth of July” celebration, in Jerusalem on Wednesday, August 13, 2025. On Monday, Belgium said it would recognize a Palestinian State. Pool File Photo by Ronen Zvulun/UPI | License Photo
Belgium will recognize a Palestinian state and impose sanctions against Israel, a high-ranking Brussels official said Monday, a move that is expected to be staunchly rebuked by the Middle Eastern country.
Maxime Prevot, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs for Belgium, said Brussels was acting under its international obligations to “prevent any risk of genocide” and to put pressure on both Israel and Iran-backed Hamas to end the war.
“Belgium had to take strong decisions to increase pressure on both the Israeli government and Hamas terrorists,” he said in a statement published on X.
“This is not about sanctioning the Israeli people, but about ensuring that its government respects international and humanitarian law and about acting to try to bring about change on the ground.”
The Israel-Palestinian conflict once again exploded into the open on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked the Middle Eastern country.
The Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded by devastating the Palestinian enclave of Gaza, and has come under increasing international condemnation over its methods of war, with nearly 63,500 Palestinians, mostly civilians killed in the conflict, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
As of Monday, nearly 350 people, including 127 children, have died due to starvation, which the United Nations said was by Israel’s design.
Prevot said Belgium will officially recognize a Palestinian state during the 80th United Nations General Assembly scheduled for later this month in New York, making it the latest Western country to do so in protest against Israel.
Australia, France, Britain, Canada and several others have come out to support a Palestinian state. Though mostly a symbolic move, doing so has angered Israel, which has accused those who have pledged to take the step of anti-Semitism and handing a victory to Hamas over its Oct. 7 attack, which killed 1,200 Israelis and saw another 251 kidnapped.
Along with recognition of a Palestinian state, Belgium will impose 12 “firm sanctions” against Israel, which will include banning imports originating from illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, Prevot said.
Belgium will also revise public procurement policies for Israeli companies and place restrictions on consular assistance to Belgians living in the illegal settlements, as well as designating two unnamed extremist Israelis ministers, several violent settlers and Hamas leaders as persona non grata in the European nation.
The move comes as Israel is conducting Gideon Chariots II, an operation to seize Gaza City, essentially the last area of the Gaza Strip not under Israel’s control, as part of efforts to secure the release and find the bodies of the last remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
Belgium was among the countries last month calling on Israel to reverse its decision to go ahead with the operation over fears it will worsen the already dire situation in the enclave.
“The offensive on Gaza City will lead to more death, destruction and mass displacement and will not contribute to the release of the hostages,” its foreign ministry said in a statement.
