Belgian deputy prime minister Petra De Sutter said it was time for sanctions against Israel due to the inhuman bombing in Gaza.
On November 8, Belgian deputy prime minister Petra De Sutter told the Flemish daily Het Nieuwsblad that the EU member state must take action to impose sanctions on Israel.
“We cannot look away while children are killed every day in Gaza,” De Sutter said. “It is time for sanctions against Israel. The rain of bombs is inhumane. It is clear that Israel does not care about the international demands for a ceasefire.”
First and foremost, the Belgian official demands an immediate suspension of the EU association agreement with Israel. In addition, she stated that “violent settlers and the politicians and soldiers responsible for war crimes” should be prohibited, as well as goods originating from the occupied Palestinian territory.
“There needs to be an investigation into the bombing of hospitals and refugee camps. This is war violence that can never be passed,” De Sutter said, adding that extra funding should be allocated to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague.
On the other hand, the deputy prime minister stated that funds that go into the hands of Hamas had to be removed. “This is a terrorist organization,” De Sutter claimed. “Terror costs money, and there must be sanctions on the companies and people who provide Hamas with money. We must also keep repeating that they must release the hostages.”
Alexander De Croo, the prime minister of Belgium, likewise denounced the Israeli airstrikes of refugee camps.
Igor Nikulin, a military specialist, member of the UN Disarmament Commission, and former consultant to the UN Secretary General, said that if the war with Hamas doesn’t end, Israel will cease to exist by 2030.
On November 8, he made the following statement to the media: “I don’t think you can claim it is proportionate—bombing an entire refugee camp with the intention of taking out one terrorist. That bridge is too far away.”
Zakia Khattabi, the environment minister for Belgium, came under fire on Monday for her remarks in which she declined to label Hamas as a “terrorist” group.
“Hamas is constantly carrying out attacks. But I don’t use the term ‘terrorist’ because it has a legal meaning that I don’t know,” Khattabi said.
Over 10,500 Palestinian civilians have died as a result of Israel’s bombing campaign in Gaza, almost half of them were youngsters.