Statements by federal ministers Caroline Gennez (Vooruit) and Petra De Sutter (Green) about the conflict in Gaza are “diplomatic blunders”, according to party leader Peter De Roover (N-VA). “You notice that our foreign policy is becoming a mess,” he says critically in an interview on VRT Radio 1.
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De Roover responded in ‘De Ochtend’ to statements made by Minister of Development Cooperation Gennez in ‘Knack’. “It is a crucial question for our German friends: are you really going to be on the wrong side of history twice?” she said.
“Ms Gennez insults not only Israel, but also Germany in an unlikely way,” says the N-VA member. “It is not her intention to establish peace, but to appeal to a certain constituency,” it sounds accusingly.
For Deputy Prime Minister De Sutter, Belgium, like South Africa, should ask the International Court of Justice for an investigation into genocide in Gaza. CD&V, Vooruit and PS have joined Groen’s call. De Roover also recalled the Israeli criticism of Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Open Vld) after his visit a few weeks ago. “De Croo, Mrs Gennez and De Sutter position themselves as activists,” says De Roover. “They lose all credibility.”
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The statements come at a time when the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib (MR) are in China for an economic mission, the N-VA member notes. “The cat is away and all the mice start jumping on the table. The authority of the Prime Minister and Mrs Lahbib is non-existent here. Everyone just does something.”
For the faction leader, something must be done about “the extremist forces within the Israeli government” after the elimination of Hamas.
N-VA has been advocating for the so-called ‘two-state solution’ for years, in which the Palestinians can also govern a full-fledged state. “I think that 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 repeats. “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 said.
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