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Belgium recognizes Palestinian state but says can only take legal effect if Hamas is removed and hostages are returned

23 September 2025 03:29 (UTC +04:00)

Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart De Wever said Monday that his country is joining other nations in recognizing a Palestinian state to give a “strong political and diplomatic signal to the world”, APA reports citing CNN.

“Belgium is giving out a strong political and diplomatic signal to the world today by joining the group of countries that (have) announced the recognition of the State of Palestine,” De Wever said at a summit during the United Nations General Assembly today.

However, the Belgium leader added that the legal recognition of a Palestinian state can only proceed “once all hostages have been released.”

“The effective conduct of diplomatic relations with the new state of Palestine, including the opening of Belgian embassy and the conclusion of international agreements, will be carried out once the objectives of the New York Declaration have been achieved,” De Wever added.