For weeks, Belgium’s ruling parties have been locked in an increasingly bitter dispute over the war in Gaza – a clash that now threatens to shake the foundations of the country’s already fragile five-party coalition.
Formed after more than 200 days of intense negotiations, cracks are growing in the so-called “Arizona” coalition – that brings together the Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (N-VA, ECR), Mouvement Réformateur (MR, Renew), Les Engagés, Vooruit (S&D), and the Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams (CD&V, EPP).
The coalition has been struggling to find common ground on sanctions against Israel, recognition of Palestine, and whether to label the ongoing conflict as genocide.
Belgium recently joined efforts to airdrop humanitarian aid into Gaza. But the initiative has sparked criticism from some coalition members, who argue that this measure is insufficient at best.
Furthermore, Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot (Les Engagés) said last week that Belgium would support suspending Israel from parts of the EU’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program.
But these are the only rare points of agreement within the federal government over Gaza.
Frustration boiled over in late July when Conner Rousseau, leader of the Flemish Socialists (Vooruit), told public broadcaster VRT that if anyone could “prove” that toppling the Belgian government would “help the people of Gaza,” he would do it “immediately”. He also warned that his party might not back the coalition on every vote if it was prevented from pursuing its own position on the conflict.
MR party leader Georges-Louis Bouchez fired back, explaining to RTL broadcaster that “Belgians would not understand the country being put in a difficult position over international issues”. Actions, he argued, should be coordinated at EU level and in consultation with Washington: “If only the EU acts, American companies will take over the contracts – and the conflict will not end.”
The Gaza-Israel conflict will take centre stage during an emergency meeting of the Parliament’s International Relations Committee on Thursday. During the session, MPs will question Maxime Prévot.
An absent Prime Minister
Les Engagés, CD&V and Vooruit are pushing for an emergency cabinet meeting before Thursday’s committee session, hoping to win over MR, which is firmly against recognising genocide, and N-VA, which has so far avoided taking a position. They also want Belgium to move toward sanctions against Israel.
But Prime Minister Bart De Wever (N-VA) is on holiday until next Sunday and, according to La Libre, has no plans to cut his vacation short or convene a virtual meeting.
On Monday, Els Van Hoof (CD&V), who chairs the International Relations Committee, criticised this silence. In an interview with De Standaard, she said that “the silence on Gaza, even from the Prime Minister, is deafening”.
Van Hoof argued that Belgium must act alongside the EU but also take its own steps, stressing that “every country has an obligation to make an effort to prevent genocide.” Failure to do so, she warned, makes a country complicit through their inaction. “If genocide is later recognised by an international court, your country may be held responsible,” she added, referring to the 1948 UN Genocide Convention.
She accused N-VA of “hiding behind the EU” rather than taking action – and of “hiding behind MR” to avoid taking a position. “Doing nothing when genocide is taking place is also a choice,” she concluded.
While Thursday’s committee session is unlikely to produce a breakthrough, Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot is expected to acknowledge the lack of consensus. Still, the meeting promises heated exchanges with MPs.
(ow)