Israel-Hamas war: Israel summons ambassadors of Belgium and Spain
Israel intends to respond to criticism of the war in Gaza made by Prime Ministers Alexander de Croo and Pedro Sanchez during their visit to the Middle East in recent days. This is in line with the positions expressed in recent weeks by the Belgian government.
From left to right in this photo published on November 23: Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, in Jerusalem. AFP - BORJA PUIG DE LA BELLACASA
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With our correspondent in Brussels, Laure Broulard
At the Rafah border crossing, de Croo called the destruction of Gaza "unacceptable" and called on Israel to respect international humanitarian law in its military operations.
The Belgian prime minister initially strongly condemned the atrocities committed by Hamas, and supported Israel's right to defend itself. He concluded by calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
At the Rafah border crossing with a message of solidarity and humanity.
There is no time to lose during this ceasefire.
The only way out of this conflict is dialogue.
Without it, all sides are lost. pic.twitter.com/lscoj8RvQS
— Alexander De Croo 🇧🇪🇪🇺 (@alexanderdecroo) November 24, 2023
For his part, Pedro Sanchez called for "recognition by the international community and Israel of the State of Palestine." These remarks did not go down well in Israel and provoked a reaction from Benjamin Netanyahu.
Tenemos que reemplazar la violencia por la esperanza.
No podemos permitirnos, sobre todo los israelíes y los palestinos, seguir viviendo bajo la amenaza constante del conflicto.
Ha llegado el momento de romper definitivamente este interminable ciclo de violencia que condena a... pic.twitter.com/sMWEwco68g
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) November 24, 2023
But in the face of the growing controversy, the Belgian Prime Minister is staying the course: "I stand by my statements. No more civilian deaths," he replied on Twitter on Saturday, November 25.
Earlier this month, he questioned the proportionality of Israel's response to Gaza. While Deputy Prime Minister Petra de Sutter has called for sanctions against Israel in the federal parliament, the Flemish Democrats and left-wing parties are backing a bill to boycott products from the occupied territories.
Belgium says it is only in favour of an end to violence and respect for international law. Alexander de Croo has, in any case, announced in the press that the Israeli ambassador will be invited to clarify the situation.
LiveIsrael-Hamas truce: Humanitarian aid enters the rubble of the Gaza Strip
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