While Belgium has received half of the Palestinian asylum applications submitted to the EU since the start of the war in Gaza, the resigning Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration Nicole de Moor (CD&V) denounced a problematic situation and wishes to speak with his European counterparts on this subject. “Our country of course wants to show solidarity with war refugees, but the EU as a whole must do its part. »
During the first eight months of 2024, more than 3,000 Palestinians requested asylum in Belgium, according to figures communicated by Darya Safai (N-VA), during a current affairs debate in the House. The MP added that the General Commission for Refugees and Stateless Persons granted asylum in 9 out of 10 cases. In her eyes, the CGRS would practice “collective recognition” without examining individually whether the person in question is really in danger in their life. own country.
Nicole de Moor, also interviewed by Vlaams Belang, denied these allegations. However, she expressed concern about the large number of Palestinian asylum seekers in Belgium. The increase in the number of Palestinian asylum seekers who have already been granted asylum elsewhere – often in Greece – is “really problematic”, she said. In July, the CGRS itself indicated that no other European country received so many asylum requests from Palestinians.
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The Secretary of State says she is consulting her European colleagues on this subject, and places her hopes in the European pact on migration. “This pact aims for better distribution and can prevent a specific nationality from placing too much of a burden on a member state’s asylum system in the future,” she explained.
A total of 3,309 Palestinians submitted an application for international protection between January and August this year, according to the latest monthly statistical report from the CGRS. In 2023, the Belgian authorities had recorded 3,249 requests of this type over the entire year.
During the first six months of this year, the protection rate for Palestinians was 89% in Belgium, compared to 58% of requests accepted in 2022, the CGRS communicated last July.
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