The European Commission is not commenting on proposals made in Belgium to take restrictive measures against Israel because of its actions in the Gaza Strip, which led to the death of thousands of civilians, European External Action Service spokesman Peter Stano said at a briefing in Brussels on Thursday.
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“I can remind you that sanctions are adopted unanimously, so any proposal for sanctions, regardless of who it is directed against, must be approved by all 27 EU members. This process is confidential, we will not comment on it,” he said in response to the corresponding question from journalists.
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Previously, a number of Belgian political parties called for a ban in Belgium on products produced in the “Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories”, but consensus on this issue has not yet been reached even within the country.
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Belgian politicians believe that such a measure should be a reaction to Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip. The initiative was taken by the Belgian party Christian Democrats and Flemings CD&V. The initiative calls for the adoption of a law prohibiting the sale in Belgium of products “that have a close connection with gross violations of human rights and international law.” The bill does not talk about specific products, but we can talk about vegetables and fruits, as well as cosmetics.
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This initiative was supported by Belgian socialists, who also intend to demand that Israel stop fighting in the Gaza Strip, which has already led to the death of more than ten thousand Palestinians. Moreover, deputies believe that the ban on products from illegal settlements should be discussed not only by the Belgian government, but also at the level of the entire European Union.
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Belgian Ecolo MP Simon Mutken believes that funding for extremist settlers should stop, following the example of stopping funding for terrorists. The party also proposes “visa bans, asset freezes on settlers and military personnel responsible for war crimes.” “If a ceasefire is not achieved, then at some point the Belgian ambassador will have to be recalled from Israel,” the deputy added.
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At the same time, the leader of the Reform Movement, Georges-Louis Boucher, opposed the idea of boycotting Israeli goods from the settlements.
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“We should remain calm, come to our senses and not react under the influence of emotions… We cannot stop trade with a number of regions of the world. This will only isolate Belgium,” the liberal politician believes.
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Earlier, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said that he considers Israel’s actions disproportionate when, in order to eliminate a member of the Hamas movement, a blow is struck against a concentration of civilians in a refugee camp.
