Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced on Wednesday that “extremist settlers” will be banned from entering Belgium.
“Violence against civilians will have consequences. Extremist settlers in the West Bank will be banned from entering Belgium,” he wrote on X.
“We will work with the US on sanctions targeting individuals involved in actions that undermine peace, security, and stability in the West Bank,” added De Croo.
His announcement comes a day after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a visa ban on "extremist settlers" who are accused of attacking Palestinian Arabs in Judea and Samaria.
“We have underscored to the Israeli government the need to do more to hold accountable extremist settlers who have committed violent attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank,” Blinken said. “As President Biden has repeatedly said, those attacks are unacceptable.”
He continued, “Today, the State Department is implementing a new visa restriction policy targeting individuals believed to have been involved in undermining peace, security or stability in the West Bank, including through committing acts of violence or taking other actions that unduly restrict civilians’ access to essential services and basic necessities.”
“Immediate family members of such persons also may be subject to these restrictions,” he noted.
De Croo recently caused an uproar when he, along with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez held a press conference at the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, in which they criticized Israel’s conduct in the war in Gaza.
In response, Foreign Minister Eli Cohen ordered that the Belgian and Spanish ambassadors to Israel be summoned for reprimands.