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Belgium calls for equal application of law in conflicts, including Palestine
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot called at the United Nations General Assembly for international law to be applied by the same standards in all conflict zones, including Palestine. Prévot defended the protection of civilians, the delivery of humanitarian aid, reform of the United Nations and the independence of international courts.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot said that international law must be applied according to common standards in conflict zones including Palestine, Sudan, Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Haiti. Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, Prévot said that the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and the protection of civilians could not vary according to geography.
Prévot said that while the circumstances of conflicts may differ from one country to another, international humanitarian law must apply in every situation. “No human life is less valuable than another. Civilians are civilians and must be protected,” he said.
Prévot also called for humanitarian aid to be allowed to reach civilians in conflict zones. He said aid should not be viewed as an optional expense, a reward or a bargaining tool.
Warning against changing borders by force
The Belgian minister also linked his call for the equal application of international law to the war in Ukraine. He warned that allowing borders to be changed through the use of force would make borders in other regions more insecure.
Prévot said that the rules of international humanitarian law could not be applied only in situations deemed appropriate, and that the same standard must apply to all conflicts.
UN reform and artificial intelligence
Prévot also said that the United Nations needed reform, adding that changes must not weaken the organization’s ability to carry out its core duties. He called for reforms to provide better representation for every region of the world.
Addressing the rapid development of artificial intelligence, Prévot said governments must ensure adequate protection for people while benefiting from technological innovations. He said there should be no retreat out of fear of innovation, but that governments should not rely on the assumption that artificial intelligence will regulate itself.
Support for the independence of international courts
Prévot defended the independence of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court. He said both courts were founded on the principle that “power cannot make itself the judge.”
He said Belgium would protect judges or staff working at international courts if they faced sanctions or pressure for carrying out their duties.
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