Belgium Indicts Three Mohels in Antwerp; Israel and a U.S. Ambassador Push Back

A wave of arrests and the filing of indictments against three Jewish circumcision practitioners in Antwerp has, over the past 24 hours, ignited a sharp diplomatic clash between Israel and the United States on one side and Belgium on the other. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar addressed the Belgian authorities' decision today (Wednesday) and called it "shameful".

In a scathing post on X, Minister Sa'ar accused Belgium of using the justice system as a tool for religious targeting. "They are using criminal law to persecute Jews for practicing Judaism," Sa'ar wrote. "By this act, Belgium joins a short and shameful list, together with Ireland, of countries that use criminal law to persecute Jews. This is a stain on the country".

Sa'ar emphasized that circumcision is "a cornerstone of the Jewish faith" and called on Belgium's government to intervene and find an appropriate solution to the crisis that has emerged.

The incident is not limited to a clash with Israel. Yesterday, Belgium's government summoned the U.S. ambassador in the country, Bill White, for a formal reprimand. The move came after the ambassador posted a sharp condemnation on social media, in which he described the investigation as "unacceptable harassment of the Jewish community" and as "an antisemitic prosecution of Belgian Jews".

Belgium's foreign minister, Maxim Prevot, completely rejected the allegations of antisemitism. Responding to the American criticism, Prevot argued that it was "dangerous disinformation that harms the real fight against hatred". According to him, interference in the judicial affairs of a sovereign state and personal attacks on ministers constitute a violation of diplomatic norms.

Prevot clarified his country's legal position: "Belgian law permits ritual circumcision only when it is performed by a certified physician and under strict health and safety standards". According to the authorities, the indictments were filed due to noncompliance with these medical conditions, and not because of the ceremony itself.