By Dylan Vernon, TIME COME #24, 25 August 2025.
Since October 2023, when this current ugly phase of the war against Palestine began, I started to flesh out a chronology of Belize’s relations with Palestine and Israel. Of course, this by necessity, requires mention of the role of Guatemala in all this. Keeping with the principle of open information access, I share the chronology in this TIME COME without added commentary. It includes links to documents and news stories some may find useful. Do inform me if you think something is wrong or missing.
The Chronology: Towards Self-Determination
Early 1900s – 1950s: A small number of refugees and immigrants from Lebanon and Palestine settle in Belize, usually coming via another country in the Americas.
1947 – 1948: Guatemala plays a key role in persuading several Latin American countries to support the now infamous United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 181 that recommended the partition of Palestine into independent Arab and Jewish states. It is among the first states to recognize Israel in 1948.
1975 – 1980: The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) provides critical support for Belize’s internationalization campaign for self-determination and independence with territorial integrity.
1977: US President Jimmy Carter banned arms sales to Guatemala during its genocidal civil war. Israel, already a supplier of arms to Guatemala, helped to fill the void.
11 November 1980: The UNGA adopted the pivotal and final pre-independence resolution in support of Belize’s independence by the end of 1981. One hundred and thirty-nine states (139) states supported the resolution. Israel did not support Belize and was among seven (7) states that abstained.
11 March 1985: Belize establishes diplomatic relations with Israel.
2004: This is the first time Belize participated in a case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In 2003, the UNGA had adopted a resolution calling for an advisory opinion from the ICJ on the wall that Israel was constructing around the West Bank and around East Jerusalem. Belize used its right, as a party to the ICJ, to enter a written statement and also made an oral submission, arguing that Israel’s wall was illegal. The ICJ’s 2004 advisory opinion stated that the wall was contrary to international law.
2008 – 2012: Belize forges closer ties with Israel. This began a stage of more ‘friendly’ exchanges between Belize and Israel. Areas of cooperation have included agriculture, technology, military training and development assistance.
16 November 2009: Belize signs a visa relaxation agreement with Israel that waived the need for visas for all passport holders from Israel for periods not exceeding 90 days. (See Statutory Instrument #108 of 2011).
9 September 2011: Belize recognizes the State of Palestine. This was at a time when there was intense activity within the UN to upgrade the status of Palestine from ‘observer entity’ to ‘non-member observer state.’
9 July 2014: Belize and Palestine establish diplomatic relations.
May 2018: President of Guatemala, Jimmy Morales, moved Guatemala’s Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, following the polarizing lead of then US President Donald Trump – which went against international law.
June 2018: The Government of Belize puzzlingly accepts an offer from Israel to train Belizean security personnel – specifically in the Police department. In June 2018, Israel conducted a community police training programme in Belize to commemorate its 70th anniversary of independence.
26 June 2018: A group of Belizean artists advocated for the government to halt the police training agreement and held a public protest outside the Police Academy in the capital, Belmopan City. The protesters likened the acceptance of the training as support for Israel’s brutal treatment of Palestinians.
2 July 2021: The National Assembly of Belize adopts one of the strongest resolutions in support of Palestine by any legislature. Among other things, the motion accused Israel of settler colonialism and apartheid and called for an end to the Gaza blockade. It also called on government to stop any trade or security exchanges with Israel and for the adoption of measures to ensure that no business in Belize profits from “Israel’s violations of human rights.”
2023: Belize participates in another ICJ case on Palestine. It submits a written statement (in support of Palestine) to the ICJ, which was asked by the UNGA to give an advisory opinion on ‘Legal Consequences Arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem’. The ICJ’s advisory opinion, delivered on July 19, 2024, concluded that Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) is unlawful and that it must end its occupation as rapidly as possible.
7 October 2023: Hamas, a Palestinian organization elected to administer Gaza, launches an attack of resistance against Israel. Israel responds by deepening and broadening its settler colonialist policies of destruction of Palestine, apartheid, illegal settlements, forced resettlement, starvation and genocide.
14 November 2023: Belize became only the second country, after Bolivia, to suspend relations with Israel, citing its activities in Gaza. Before that, Israel maintained a diplomatic presence in Belize with a non-resident ambassador (based in Mexico City) and Belize maintained an Honorary Consulate in Israel.
22 November 2023: A group of Belizeans hold impressive March for Palestine in Belize City.
September 2023 and September 2024: Belize’s foreign ministers make strong statements at the UNGA in support of Palestine. At the September 2024 UNGA , current Foreign Minister Francis Fonseca called out the impunity applied to Israel and made the a powerful plea that “the inhumanity must end.”
January 2025: Belize joins the case at the ICJ brought by South Africa against Israel for the crime of genocide.
January 2025: Belize participates in the inaugural meeting of The Hague Group formed to create coordinated action to enforce international law and halt the genocide in Gaza.
February 2025: Belize withdraws from The Hague Group, partly because it felt so isolated in relation to the CARICOM countries, none of whom had stepped up and made clear their opposition to the Genocide.
THEN SILENCE……!
Just this past week famine has been officially declared for Gaza by the UN, more illegal settlements in West Bank and East Jerusalem are being green lighted by Israel, another military takeover of Gaza City by Israeli forces is underway, and more and more Palestinians are dying from bombings and starvation. While Belize has done more than most other states to support Palestine, there has been silence recently from the Government of Belize. What more can Belize as a state do? What more can people in Belize do?
For one, you can check out the ‘Call to Action for Palestine’ discussion session at 7 pm on 25 August 2025 at the ImagiNATION Factri in Belize City.