“Belgium is piling up diplomatic blunders”

N-VA federal group chairman Peter De Roover is highly critical of the demand by the left-wing majority parties and the CD&V party to conduct an international investigation into the risk of genocide by Israel in the Gaza Strip. According to De Roover, only electoral motives are involved and Belgium looks bad internationally.

The Groen and CD&V parties want the International Court of Justice in The Hague to start an investigation into possible genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza. The Vooruit and PS parties later joined in on that demand. Minister of Development Cooperation Caroline Gennez (Vooruit party) also lashed out sharply at Germany, which she says is allowing itself to be swayed by the Israeli government. She even added a comparison with Nazi Germany.

Pillory

“Israel’s policy can certainly be criticised, but you have to get the country on board in any solution. Do you think there is anything to be gained from putting Israel into a pillory with its feet first?” De Roover responded on the De Ochtend radio show. “Putting Israel on a par with Nazi Germany is shocking and offensive,” MP Michael Freilich also says. “A blunder by Gennez.”

Curry favour with supporters

“Meanwhile, Prime Minister De Croo is in China, but Gennez or other ministers have not put the case of the Uyghurs on the agenda. That proves that the parties involved are not serious. Of course, no electoral success can be achieved with the Uyghurs, and that is what is behind this, not peacemaking. The intention is to curry favour with certain supporters.”

Activists

Belgium is piling up diplomatic blunders internationally, De Roover believes. “This government always presents itself as very European until it fails to get the allies on board. Then Belgium wants to pursue its own course, and even Germany is offended. De Croo did the same with Israel a few weeks ago when he visited there. De Croo, Gennez and De Sutter are acting as activists.”

Two-state solution

The N-VA has been advocating the “two-state solution” for years, in which the Palestinians can also govern a fully valid state. “I think our supporters hope that we will pursue a policy in which we can achieve a peace that guarantees Israel’s right to exist,” De Roover reiterates. “But if you start to discredit the entire Israeli security structure, with references to the Holocaust that are particularly painful, then you are not making any diplomatic impact,” the politician says.