Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded Wednesday to the Belgian government's decision to recognize a Palestinian state in the coming month and impose various sanctions on Israel. In his statement on the prime minister's official X account in English, Netanyahu wrote that Belgium's prime minister, De Wever, is a weak leader seeking to appease Islamic terror by sacrificing Israel. "He wants to feed the terrorist crocodile before it devours Belgium. Israel won't go along and will continue to defend itself."
Prime Minister's Office:
Belgian Prime Minister de Wever is a weak leader who seeks to appease Islamic terrorism by sacrificing Israel. He wants to feed the terrorist crocodile before it devours Belgium. Israel will won't go along and will continue to defend itself.
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) September 3, 2025
Monday night, Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot announced that Belgium will recognize a Palestinian state during the UN General Assembly session in September, with conditions set for signing the official decree, including the release of all hostages held by Hamas and the removal of the terror organization from power in Gaza. Simultaneously, in the nighttime government session, a series of sanctions against Israel were approved, including imposing sanctions against Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
"Belgium will recognize Palestine at the UN!" Prévot tweeted. "We are taking harsh sanctions against the Israeli government." According to him, the decision stems from "the humanitarian tragedy in Palestine, especially in Gaza" and in response to "Israeli violence that violates international law."
The decision was made after a dramatic night of negotiations that lasted until the early hours of the night. Coalition parties in Belgium, characterized by a complex political structure of federal government and regional governments, dealt with deep disagreements around policy toward Israel. Some parties pushed for taking a more decisive stance, while others sought a balanced approach, with voices within the ruling party itself supporting sanctions against Israel.
