Belgium passes resolution to sanction Israel if annexation happens

The resolution, passed unanimously, also calls on the government to push for a two-state solution on the international stage.

By Aaron Sull, World Israel News

Belgium’s’ parliament passed a non-binding resolution on Friday calling on Prime Minister Sophie Wilmès to help the European Union take punitive measures against Israel if it proceeds to annex parts of Judea and Samaria.

The resolution, titled “Concerning Israel’s annexation of occupied territories in Palestine,” urges Wilmès to “play a leading role in the European and multilateral levels for the creation of a list of effective countermeasures, which are a response to any Israeli annexation of occupied Palestinian areas.”

It also calls on the government to push for a two-state solution on the international stage.

The proposal passed unanimously.

Although many countries in the EU support punitive measures if Israel goes ahead with its sovereignty extension over the Jordan Valley and 30 percent of Judea and Samaria, it will need a consensus among all 27 member states to take significant action against the Jewish state.

One of Belgium’s parliamentary members who helped formulate the motion is Simon Moutquin, a leading member of the country’s Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Belgium’s parliament was also supposed to vote on Friday on a second resolution calling on the government to recognize a Palestinian state, however, due to last-minute technicalities, the vote was pushed off for two weeks.

Israeli Ambassador to Belgium Emmanuel Nahshon tweeted: “A decision to ‘recognize Palestine’ would be totally counterproductive, would encourage the Palestinians in their persistent refusal to negotiate and would undermine Belgium’s credibility. We hope reason will prevail.”

Since the EU was formed in 1957, only Sweden has formally recognized a Palestinian state.