Members of the majority coalition in Belgium’s federal parliament reached agreement on Tuesday evening on a draft resolution concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the situation in the Gaza Strip, with plans for the assembly to consider the text on Thursday.
The resolution addresses “the humanitarian and security situation in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, as well as the prospects for reviving the peace process,” according to a joint statement signed by the Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (N-VA), Mouvement Réformateur (MR), Les Engagés, Vooruit, and Christen Democratisch en Vlaams (CD&V) parties.
“In light of the emergency on the ground, the blockade of humanitarian aid, the civilian suffering, and repeated violations of international humanitarian law, it is crucial for Belgium to speak with one voice and actively contribute to a credible diplomatic response," the legislators stressed.
Text touches on the recognition of Palestine
The text reaffirms the necessity of strictly respecting international humanitarian law, condemns violence from all parties, calls for the immediate release of hostages still being held, and insists on unobstructed access to humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza.
The resolution also touches on the recognition of Palestine, a contentious issue in recent weeks within the coalition: Vooruit, CD&V, and Les Engagés argued that it could no longer be delayed, while N-VA and MR voiced significant reluctance.
The resolution advocates a balanced approach aligned with the government agreement, based on a two-state solution, security for all, and mutual recognition.
It discusses the upcoming international conference in June, to be co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, which aims for mutual recognition of Israel and Palestine by participating States. The text urges the Belgian government to support this conference initiative.
Dismantling Hamas...
The French initiative is viewed as an opportune diplomatic moment to acknowledge the State of Palestine, provided that a democratically elected Palestinian Authority committed to rejecting terrorism governs it, in cooperation with like-minded States.
While the text mentions Palestine's recognition, it is not expected in the immediate future, with the majority highlighting "conditions" for recognition. These involve efforts such as freeing hostages, dismantling Hamas, establishing a democratically elected Palestinian government, and clearly defining borders, none of which are expected imminently.
The alleged genocide by Israel in Gaza is not specifically addressed, but support for Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot’s decision to intervene in the proceedings at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague is included. The resolution also asks the government to back the ICC and execute its rulings, such as arrest warrants.
Harsher measures against West Bank settlers
Controversy arose over the warrant for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever suggested it might not be enforced.
Regarding sanctions against Israel, the majority turns to the European Union, calling for harsher measures against West Bank settlers and a “critical reassessment" of EU-Israel cooperation, based on a formal review of the association agreement. Product differentiation from the settlements is also considered, but not an outright ban, contrary to earlier reports.
This agreement concludes several weeks of negotiations. Two weeks ago, due to a lack of consensus, the majority’s absence from the Foreign Affairs Committee caused its work to be postponed after a quorum could not be reached, with the agenda including opposition texts on the recognition of Palestine, and sanctions or an embargo against Israel.
On Tuesday morning, the situation appeared deadlocked due to MR’s intransigence and its president’s stance, but a mid-afternoon meeting of the Arizona groups eventually led to an agreement.
