Flemish minister for Education, Justice and Employment Zuhal Demir (N-VA) has expressed strong support for Belgium recognising Palestine as a state, a stance that diverges from some within her own party.
“As a Kurdish woman and a Flemish nationalist, I consider the recognition of the Palestinian people as a nation to be crucial,” Demir stated in an interview with *De Standaard*. She emphasised a similar point in Knack, saying, “With the recognition of Palestine, we affirm the right of a people to exist. This principle is essential to me, rooted in both my Kurdish heritage and my Flemish nationalist beliefs.”
Demir is openly in favour of recognising Palestine under strict conditions. She told De Standaard, “Such recognition could pave the way for peace. It must not serve as an endorsement of Hamas, but as an acknowledgement of a people and their right to exist.” She added, “As someone with Kurdish roots and as a Flemish nationalist, I firmly believe in the right of self-determination for all nations. The Palestinians have faced decades of displacement, with their territory continuously taken away.”
The minister argued that Belgium should follow French President Emmanuel Macron’s initial proposal to recognise Palestine simultaneously with Arab nations recognising Israel. However, Demir is hesitant to push for economic sanctions unless absolutely necessary. “If we fail to make progress on recognition, economic sanctions could always be an option,” she warned in Standaard.
Meanwhile, N-VA leader and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever is convening the core cabinet on Wednesday to discuss the country’s position ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in September, where this debate is expected to take centre stage.
