Egypt hailed on Sunday a decision by Belgium’s Council of Ministers to prohibit the import of goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.
In a statement by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Co-operation, and Egyptian Expatriates, Cairo described the move as a practical application of international law and UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which deems settlements illegal and calls for their immediate halt to preserve prospects for peace and a two‑state solution.
In addition, Egypt urged all European Union member states and the wider international community to follow Belgium’s example and adopt similar legal measures against settlement products.
Reaffirming its longstanding support for the Palestinian cause, Egypt stressed that peace and security in the Middle East can only be achieved by ending the occupation and enabling the Palestinian people to exercise their legitimate right to self‑determination, including establishing an independent sovereign state on the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Belgium approved the measure at its final cabinet meeting before the summer recess.
The ban was part of a package agreed by the governing coalition in 2025 in response to Israel’s war on Gaza and the rising Palestinian death toll, but details of implementation have yet to be finalised.
