Belgium | Palestine |
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During the Ottoman occupation of Palestine, Belgium maintained honorary consulates in Jaffa, Jerusalem and Haifa.
Chairman Yasser Arafat made several visits to Belgium, the last of which was in November 2001. [1] In November 2013, Belgium decided to raise the level of Palestinian representation. [2] In February 2015, President Mahmoud Abbas visited Brussels and met with King Philippe. [3]
In 2018, Belgium suspended education aid projects with the Palestinian Authority after discovering that a school it funded in Hebron had been renamed after a militant who took part in the 1978 Coastal Road massacre, where 38 Israeli civilians including 13 children, were killed. The Belgian Foreign Ministry had financed the construction of the school in 2012 and 2013, only to later learn that it was renamed without their knowledge. Belgium also temporarily suspended two other school-building projects. [4]
On 25 April 2023, the Belgian city of Liège took a decision described as "historic" to freeze relations with Israel. [5] [6] Liège has been associated with the Palestinian city of Ramallah in a twinning relationship since 2014.
On 27 October 2023, Belgium was one of 121 countries to vote in favor of a General Assembly resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire to the fighting between Israel and Gaza. [7] On 8 November, a month after the conflict began, deputy prime minister Petra De Sutter called for imposing sanctions on Israel. [8] [9]
In November 2023, following a meeting with the President of Egypt Abdel Fattah El Sisi, Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez, along with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, held a joint press conference at the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip. [10] During the conference, both leaders said in a joint statement that the indiscriminate killings of innocent civilians is completely unacceptable. [11] They also said that the time had come for the international community and the European Union (EU) to once and for all recognize a Palestinian State and called for a permanent ceasefire in the war-battered territory. [10]
The Palestinian National Authority, commonly known as the Palestinian Authority and officially the State of Palestine, is the Fatah-controlled government body that exercises partial civil control over West Bank areas "A" and "B" as a consequence of the 1993–1995 Oslo Accords. The Palestinian Authority controlled the Gaza Strip prior to the Palestinian elections of 2006 and the subsequent Gaza conflict between the Fatah and Hamas parties, when it lost control to Hamas; the PA continues to claim the Gaza Strip, although Hamas exercises de facto control. Since January 2013, the Palestinian Authority has used the name "State of Palestine" on official documents, although the United Nations continues to recognize the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) as the "representative of the Palestinian people".
Mahmoud Abbas, also known by the kunya Abu Mazen, is the president of the State of Palestine and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). He has been the chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) since 2004, PNA president since January 2005, and State of Palestine president since May 2005. Abbas is also a member of the Fatah party and was elected chairman in 2009.
The government of Palestine is the government of the Palestinian Authority or State of Palestine. The Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (EC) is the highest executive body of the Palestine Liberation Organization and acts as the government. Since June 2007, there have been two separate administrations in Palestine, one in the West Bank and the other in the Gaza Strip. The government on the West Bank was generally recognised as the Palestinian Authority Government. On the other hand, the government in the Gaza Strip claimed to be the legitimate government of the Palestinian Authority. Until June 2014, when the Palestinian Unity Government was formed, the government in the West Bank was the Fatah-dominated Palestinian government of 2013. In the Gaza Strip, the government was the Hamas government of 2012. Following two Fatah–Hamas Agreements in 2014, on 25 September 2014 Hamas agreed to let the PA Government resume control over the Gaza Strip and its border crossings with Egypt and Israel, but that agreement had broken down by June 2015, after President Abbas said the PA government was unable to operate in the Gaza Strip.
India–Palestine relations, also known as Indian-Palestinian relations or Indo-Palestinian relations, are the bilateral relations between the Republic of India and the State of Palestine. These relations have been largely influenced by the independence struggle against British colonialism. India recognized Palestine's statehood following the Palestinian declaration of independence on 18 November 1988; although relations between India and the Palestine Liberation Organization were first established in 1974.
The bilateral relations between the State of Palestine and Russia have a complex history, deeply interwoven with Russian and Soviet relations with the Israeli enterprise, Palestinian nationalism, and Third World national liberation movements. Between 1956 and 1990, Soviet-Palestinian relations were part of the then ongoing Soviet-American confrontation.
China–Palestine relations, also referred to as Sino–Palestinian relations, encompasses the long bilateral relationship between China and Palestine dating back from the early years of the Cold War.
Political relations between the State of Palestine and the United States have been complex and strained since the 1960s. While the U.S. does not recognize the State of Palestine, it recognizes the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as the legitimate representative entity for the Palestinian people; following the Oslo Accords, it recognized the Palestinian National Authority as the legitimate Palestinian government of the Palestinian territories.
The Palestinian–Serbian relations are bilateral relations between the State of Palestine and the Republic of Serbia. Relations between Serbia and Palestine have been very close and friendly.
Relations between Indonesia and Palestine have been very close and friendly. Indonesia has refused to recognize the State of Israel until a peace agreement is reached between Israel and the State of Palestine. Indonesia has strongly stood up for the rights and freedoms of the Palestinians and has supported the struggles of the Palestinians.
Events in the year 2013 in the State of Palestine.
The prime minister of the Palestinian National Authority was the position of the official head of government of the Palestinian Authority government, which operated between 2003 and January 2013, when it was officially transformed into the State of Palestine. Some still refer to the position of the prime minister of the Gaza Strip as the prime minister of the Palestinian National Authority.
The president of the Palestinian National Authority is the highest-ranking political position in the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). The president appoints the prime minister of the Palestinian National Authority, who normally requires approval of the Palestinian Legislative Council, and who shares executive and administrative power with the president.
Ahmed Ali Mohammed Qurei, also known by his Arabic name kunyaAbu Alaa, was a Palestinian politician who served as the second Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority.
Chile–Palestine relations are the current and historical relations between the Republic of Chile and the State of Palestine. Both nations enjoy friendly relations, the importance of which centers on the history of Palestinian migration to Chile.
Mexico–Palestine relations are the diplomatic relations between the United Mexican States and the State of Palestine. Both nations are members of UNESCO.
Palestine–Spain relations are the bilateral and diplomatic relations between these two countries. Palestine has an embassy in Madrid. Spain has a consulate general in East Jerusalem that serves the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem. However the promises of recognition, Spain does not recognize Palestine as a State and therefore Spain's consulate in East Jerusalem is not an embassy.
Malta–Palestine relations are the diplomatic relations between Malta and Palestine. Malta has traditionally held close and friendly relations with the Palestinian people ever since Malta's attainment of Independence on 21 September 1964. The Foreign Policy of Malta has consistently supported international efforts aimed at a peaceful and negotiated resolution to the conflict aimed at establishing a State of Palestine living side by side by the State of Israel in peace and security.
Palestine–Ukraine relations are bilateral relations between the State of Palestine and Ukraine. The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic recognized Palestinian independence on 19 November 1988. Palestine recognized Ukraine as a sovereign state in February 1992. On 2 November 2001, the two countries established diplomatic relations and the Palestinian embassy opened the same day. Ukraine has supported UN resolutions against Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories.
Bulgaria–Palestine relations are the bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Palestine. Diplomatic relations were established in February 1973. Both countries are members of the Union for the Mediterranean. Bulgaria recognized the Palestinian Declaration of Independence issued by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
Oman–Palestine relations refer to foreign relations between the State of Oman and the State of Palestine. Palestine has an embassy in Muscat. Dr Tayser Farahat is the Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Oman.