Belgium suggests discussing potential trade sanctions against Israel in response to actions they believe have led to over 34,000 human casualties in the Palestinian sector of Gaza.
Kingdom’s Prime Minister Alexander De Croo emphasized the need to respond to events in the region, stating that “the Belgian government decided several weeks ago to impose trade sanctions against Israel.”
Such steps by Belgium come after the EU in April first imposed sanctions against Israeli settlers for violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. The question of possible sanctions has become central in the context of ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza sector since October 2023.
The Belgian Prime Minister also noted that Belgium has approached the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, with a request to “examine this issue” in the context of the association agreement between the European Union and Israel, which contains conditions related to human rights.
Meanwhile, Israel is expected to be preparing for a ground operation in the city of Rafah, considering it the last stronghold of Hamas. However, many Western countries and international organizations warn of a huge number of civilian casualties and exacerbation of the humanitarian catastrophe in the event of such an offensive.
