Belgium will recognize the state of Palestine at the UN General Assembly session in September, Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot said, quoted by AFP.

"Palestine will be recognized by Belgium at the UN session! And strict sanctions will be imposed on the Israeli government", Prévot wrote on X.

In July, French President Emmanuel Macron said France would recognize a Palestinian state at the same UN meeting, which will take place from September 9 to 23 in New York.

More than a dozen other Western countries have also called for similar steps.

Prévois explained that the decision was made "in view of the humanitarian tragedy" in Gaza, where Israeli offensives have forced a large part of the population to move at least once, and the UN has declared a famine. 

"In view of the violence perpetrated by Israel in violation of international law, and given its international obligations, including the obligation to prevent the risk of genocide, Belgium had to take firm decisions to increase pressure on the Israeli government and Hamas terrorists," said the Belgian top diplomat.

"This is not about punishing the Israeli people, but about ensuring that its government complies with international and humanitarian law, and taking action to try to change the situation on the ground," he added. | BGNES