Belgian government parties agree on joint Gaza resolution
After weeks of negotiations, the majority parties in the Belgian government have agreed on a joint motion for a resolution on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
According to the MPs involved, the resolution, agreed on Tuesday night, calls on the government to "actively" support Emmanuel Macron's plan to recognise Palestine. The French president plans to push for Western recognition of Palestine at a UN conference in New York in early June, if a number of Arab countries also recognise Israel.
According to N-VA, the resolution states that recognition of Palestine will not be possible until all Israeli hostages in Gaza are released, Hamas is dismantled, a democratic Palestinian leadership is elected and the borders of the territory are clearly demarcated. As the conflict continues, these conditions mean Belgian recognition is unlikely in the short term.
The text does not take a position on whether Israeli violence in Gaza constitutes genocide but supports Foreign minister Maxime Prévot's intention to take part in the trial of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. The resolution also calls on the government to enforce the ICC's decisions, contradicting a statement made by prime minister Bart De Wever earlier this year.
On sanctions, the resolution calls for the EU to strengthen sanctions against settlers in the West Bank and to "critically reassess" cooperation with Israel on the basis of a formal review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. It calls on the government to lobby at European level for a trade ban on products from illegal settlements.
A full text has not yet been published. The resolution is due to be debated at Thursday's plenary session. A final vote in Parliament is expected by the end of May.
Prime minister Bart De Wever and Foreign minister Maxime Prevot © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK
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