Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said on Wednesday that the Israeli extremists who commit violence in the West Bank will be barred from entering the country. He was addressing a public gathering at the Ghent University.
He stated that the Belgium will impose sanctions on Israeli settlers responsible for violence against the civilians in the West Bank, and urged the European Union to take similar actions.
“Violence against civilians will have consequences. Extremist settlers in the West Bank will be banned from entering Belgium. We will work with the US on sanctions targeting individuals involved in actions that undermine peace, security, and stability in the West Bank,” he wrote on the social platform X sharing a video clip of his speech.
He called for ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, which has been under Israeli aggression siege since October 7. Emphasising the need to respect human values and international law, he appealed to stop the killing of civilians in the besieged enclave.
The statement came at a time when Belgium gets ready to hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, from January 1 to 30 June 30, 2024.
Earlier today, the G7 leaders have condemned the rise in settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank and called to hold them accountable.
“We condemn the rise in extremist settler violence committed against Palestinians, which undermines security and stability in the West Bank, and threatens prospects for a lasting peace,” the collective statement said.
They registered serious concern over the devastating impact of the ongoing war on the Palestinian civilian population in Gaza. It was demanded that adequate action must be taken to prevent the displacement of people and protect civilian infrastructure.
At least 16,248 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 7.
