Police brutally dispersed on Monday evening, September 1, a protest organized Hadash activists in Central Tel-Aviv calling for an end to the war and starvation in Gaza and for the recognition of a Palestinian state, despite receiving prior permission for the protest to take place, after fascist activists arrived on the scene and began attacking the participants under cops’ protection.

Hadash demonstrators at Rotschild Boulevard in Central Tel-Aviv, few minutes before the police attack, Monday evening, September 1, 2025 (Photo: Zo Haderekh)

On Tuesday morning, Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot announces that Belgium will recognize the state of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in September. Belgium will join the signatories of the New York Declaration, paving the way for a two-state solution, or a Palestinian state co-existing in peace alongside Israel, Prevot said in a post on X.

Belgium would also levy 12 firm sanctions on Israel, such as a ban on importing products from its settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, a review of public procurement policies with Israeli companies and declaring Israeli ministers persona non grata in Belgium, Prevot said.

In July, French President Emmanuel Macron said France would recognize a Palestinian state at the UN meeting, due to be held from September 9 to 23 in New York. More than a dozen other Western countries have called on others to do the same. Prevot says the decision came “in view of the humanitarian tragedy” unfolding in Gaza.

“In the face of the violence perpetrated by Israel in violation of international law, given its international obligations, including the duty to prevent any risk of genocide, Belgium had to take strong decisions to increase pressure on the Israeli government and Hamas terrorists,” Prevot writes.

Related: https://maki.org.il/en/?p=32974