Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever did not stand by when a reporter claimed that Israel was committing ‘genocide.’ ‘That’s normally something for the International Criminal Court to decide.’
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever was asked by a local journalist about a government resolution to push for a Palestinian state.
In her question, the journalist accused Israel of “genocide.” The Prime Minister did not hold back, and rebuked: “Your statement is particularly questionable. You’ve already accepted that there is a genocide. That’s normally something for the International Criminal Court to decide.”
Regarding the question itself, he answered: “The problem in the Middle East, you know, is that emotions run high. There are different opinions in parliament, also within the majority. So we have to be careful with that topic.”
De Wever also added a list of issues that would have to be solved before a Palestinian state could be established, including its location, who would rule it, the government’s legitimacy, recognition of Israel’s sovereignty, the disarmament of Hamas, security guarantees for Israel, and acceptance by the Arab world.
Belgian MP Michael Freilich, the only Jew in the Belgian Parliament who is close to the Prime Minister, told Arutz Sheva-Israel National News that “the Prime Minister is a friend of Israel. After October 7th, he said that Belgium must stand with Israel, the light versus the darkness of Hamas.”
Freilich also said that De Wever said that he does not believe that Netanyahu would be arrested if he were to enter Belgian territory, despite the international arrest warrant. Freilich spoke with De Wever and thanked him for his strong response to the claims of “genocide.”
