Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot has urged his
government to officially recognise the State of Palestine before the
opportunity is lost, amid mounting humanitarian concerns in Gaza. He stressed
in parliament that Belgium must act by September 2025 or risk undermining its
credibility in advocating a two-state solution.
Belgian Foreign Minister Demands Urgent Action on Palestine Recognition
Belgium’s Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot (Les Engagés) sparked a heated debate on Thursday, August 14, 2025, by urging swift government recognition of Palestine. Speaking during an emergency parliamentary session interrupted during the summer break to address the escalating crisis in Gaza, Prévot voiced concerns that
“soon there may be nothing left to recognise”
if Belgium does not commit to official recognition before September.
According to reporting by Jonas Roosens for Belga News
Agency, Prévot stated:
“If Belgium does not make progress towards official recognition of Palestine in September, there will soon be nothing left to recognise. Moreover, Belgium will lose all credibility in speaking about a two-state solution.”
Reporting for The National, Thomas Woods quoted Prévot’s
declaration to lawmakers that Belgium’s longstanding commitment to a two-state
solution is at risk of becoming meaningless if no firm action is taken.
Coalition Divisions Complicate Swift Recognition
Despite Prévot’s passionate call, the Belgian government
remains divided over the timing and conditions of recognising Palestine. As
reported by La Libre and NRC Handelsblad, Prévot is leading efforts within the
coalition, comprised of the Flemish nationalist N-VA, liberal MR, Francophone
centrists, socialists, and Christian democrats, to secure consensus for
recognition before the United Nations General Assembly in September. However,
N-VA and MR have expressed caution, while parties such as Vooruit, CD&V,
and Les Engagés are more supportive of immediate recognition.
Writing for VRT, journalists noted the reluctance of
Prévot’s coalition partners, with N-VA and MR voicing pro-Israel stances and
warning that purely symbolic recognition might exacerbate the situation without
a tangible plan for conflict resolution. Prime Minister Bart De Wever (N-VA)
responded in parliament that:
“We want the European Union to play a central role in achieving a two-state solution that guarantees both the security of Israel and the recognition of Palestine... Recognition can only take place when agreement has been reached on the two states’ borders.”
Parliament Pressed into Emergency Session for Gaza Debate
The urgency of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza prompted
Belgian MPs to interrupt their holiday and return for an emergency debate.
During the session, Prévot called for a plan to be ready ahead of the September
UN General Assembly, urging alignment with French President Emmanuel Macron,
who has pledged that France will recognise Palestine next month. According to
Belga News Agency, Prévot said:
"Recognition is a bonus for the Palestinian Authority, not for Hamas. It strengthens the peaceful struggle.”
He further proposed official measures including:
- A
ban on entry for Israeli ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich,
echoing sanctions imposed by the UK and Norway in June 2025.
- Expanded
sanctions on Israeli economic activity and consideration of banning
imports from occupied territories.
Prévot maintained:
“This is not an ideological debate, it is about respecting the law. The government must not miss its appointment with history, with our conscience, and with our moral and legal obligations.”
Humanitarian and Diplomatic Stakes Rise
In the same session, Prévot highlighted Belgium’s evacuation
of nearly 800 Belgian citizens and recognised refugees from Gaza, praising the
mobilisation of diplomats and personnel under extremely perilous conditions.
He also revealed that a new draft Royal Decree had been
prepared to tighten Belgium’s existing 2009 ban on arms sales to both Israeland Palestine. The updated measure would extend to all arms shipments passing
through Belgian airspace:
“The draft decree will thus even cover the overflight of our airspace, and therefore a fortiori any transit,” he explained in parliament, as reported by The National.
Support and Pressure from Belgian Political Actors
Opposition leaders, including Paul Magnette of the Socialist
Party, have added pressure on the government. In a letter referenced by Anadolu
Agency, Magnette argued:
“To recognise State of Palestine is to say that law is not negotiable.”
Additionally, Flemish liberal MP Kjell Vander Elst has
reiterated calls for Belgium to join France in supporting Palestinian
recognition, citing the need for international leverage to push Israel towards
negotiations.
European Momentum and Wider International Reactions
The question of Palestine’s recognition is gaining momentum
across Europe. France and several other EU and G7 states, including Australia,
Canada, the United Kingdom, and Malta, have announced plans to make their
positions clear at the September 2025 UN General Assembly. According to
detailed coverage by Al Jazeera and The New York Times, 147 of 193 UN member
states currently recognise the State of Palestine, representing a global
majority.
At the same time, The Elders, an international group of senior statespersons, have called for at least 20 additional states to acknowledge Palestine by September, arguing that such recognition is
"a transformative step that should be taken now".
Belgian Government to Decide in September
The timeline remains tight, with the Foreign Minister’s
office confirming that Belgium’s official position will be decided in early
September. Consultations are ongoing with France and other EU partners in the
lead-up to the UN session.
According to Politico’s reporting by Maïa de la Baume, the
Flemish nationalist N-VA recently shifted its approach, indicating willingness
to discuss recognition with the coalition and aligning more closely with
Macron’s public position that “the images from Gaza demand action.”
The Road Ahead: Stakes for Brussels and Beyond
As Belgium weighs its decision, Prévot’s remarks have
underscored the stakes not only for Palestinians and Israelis, but also for
Europe’s credibility as a supporter of international law and human rights. The
events of the coming weeks are set to define Belgium’s foreign policy legacy at
a critical juncture for Middle East diplomacy.