Several Belgian-Palestinian organisations have called on parliamentarians and the Federal Government to officially recognise the Palestinian state and impose sanctions on Israel.
A citizen’s bill proposal was submitted to the House of Representatives on Monday, the groups revealed in a statement to the Belga News Agency.
Key signatories include the Belgian-Palestinian Association, Intal Globalize Solidarity, Al-Haq Europe, and other organisations collectively represented under the umbrella network Beitna.
The groups argue that the Belgian Government is failing in its responsibility to address what they describe as genocidal acts carried out by Israel in Gaza.
They also criticise the government for tying the potential recognition of Palestine to Israel’s approval by insisting on preconditions.
Furthermore, the organisations accuse Belgium of "turning a blind eye to evidence of genocide, war crimes, and apartheid."
They characterise the Federal Government’s May resolution on Palestine as "nothing more than a betrayal of international law."
The citizen’s proposal aims to amplify the voices of Belgian citizens in parliament. It demands that Belgium immediately recognise what is happening in Gaza as genocide and impose sanctions on Israel, including an arms embargo and restrictions on trade.
The proposal also calls for an official recognition of the Palestinian state and a reassessment of Belgium’s foreign policy.
"As a signatory of the Genocide Convention, Belgium is obligated to take every possible measure to prevent and prosecute such crimes. It is time to fulfil this responsibility," stated the Beitna network.
The ability to submit citizen-led legislative proposals has been in place since 2019. A proposal can only be debated in parliament if it gathers 25,000 signatures from citizens.
Senior members of Belgium's Federal Government are convening on Monday to discuss Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot’s briefing on the crisis in Gaza.
The meeting spotlighted two contentious issues: potential sanctions against Israel and the recognition of Palestine. These topics remain deeply divisive within the executive, with the N-VA party and, especially, the MR expressing significant opposition.
