Belgium’s foreign minister accuses coalition of ‘blackmail’ for blocking 13 Gaza students

Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot has accused coalition partners of engaging in political blackmail regarding his proposal to evacuate 13 students from Gaza. Prévot, a member of the centrist LE party, made the remarks during a press briefing in Brussels on Friday, September 11.

According to Prévot, the right-wing N-VA and MR parties, which are also part of the ruling coalition, attempted to link the evacuation of the students to his concessions on other immigration policies. Specifically, Prévot stated that he was asked to trade the Gaza evacuations for support regarding the deportation of asylum seekers to Afghanistan and the establishment of European Union return hubs for failed asylum seekers in Africa.

In response to these demands, Prévot withdrew his proposal. He stated that he would not allow humanitarian issues to be held hostage, adding that he has not refused to discuss return hubs in principle, but would not do so under the conditions presented by his coalition partners. He characterized the situation by stating that dignity is not for sale.

Prévot’s proposal had included the evacuation of the 13 students, a gradual resumption of humanitarian evacuations from Gaza, and funding for the care of sick children from Gaza in Jordan. The plan was rejected by N-VA figures, including Immigration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt and Prime Minister Bart De Wever.

Political analysts have noted that Prévot’s public criticism of his coalition partners is unusual, as he is typically known for a more conciliatory approach. Dave Sinardet, a politics professor at the VUB university in Brussels, suggested that the intensity of Prévot’s remarks indicates that the disagreement could pose a risk to the cohesion of the federal government. Sinardet also noted that Prévot faced internal pressure from his own party and other coalition members, such as the CD&V and Vooruit, who had previously expressed support for the students.

Prévot stated on Friday that he is not optimistic about finding a resolution for the students given the current divisions within the government. However, observers suggest that the strength of his public statement may indicate that he intends to continue pursuing the evacuation efforts.

Article and image source: euobserver.com