Belgium Begins Discussions on EU Sanctions Against Israel

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo stated that "Belgium has started discussions on potential EU trade sanctions against Israel due to its actions in the Gaza Strip, which have led to the deaths of more than 34,000 people." De Croo mentioned, "The Belgian government had already decided a few weeks ago to impose trade sanctions on Israel. However, if Belgium were to impose these sanctions on its own, trade routes would simply change. That is why we have been discussing with other European countries for several weeks about how we can do this." He pointed out that "this issue should be resolved without making loud announcements. The European Union has signed a partnership agreement with Israel, which includes conditions related to human rights." The EU had previously imposed sanctions on Israeli settlers for the first time due to violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.