Belgian Holocaust survivors: Jews are packing their bag, we are scared
Two Jewish organisations in Belgium sent last week an open letter to Prime Minister Alexander de Croo protesting against the Belgian government’s passivity in condemning and combatting the surge in antisemitism in the country after the 7 October terrorist attack on Israel.
The letter was signed by human rights lawyer Yves Oschinsky, president of the ‘Comité de Coordination des Organisations Juives de Belgique’ (CCOJB), and Baroness Regina Sluzny, President of the Forum der Joodse Organisaties (FJO), herself a Holocaust survivor who was hidden as a child during the war. The two organisations represents a majority of the diverse Jewish community in Belgium.
The Jewish community has old roots in Belgium, is well integrated in the country and has contributed to its development in all areas. Belgium was one of the few countries in Europe which accepted Jews into the army and make a military career to defend the country in the wars in the past. Now the community feels abandoned by the government and lives in deep worry about its safety and future. Some are considering emigrating to Israel despite the current insecurity and uncertainty there.
The letter mentions a number of incautious and disturbing statements by government ministers that deviate from the EU’s common position on the Israel-Hamas war and allegedly are fueling antisemitism in Belgium. Too many people do not distinguish between Israel and the Jews in Belgium and blame them for a war which takes place thousands of km away.
Not everyone in the Jewish community agrees with the open letter. In another letter on Sunday, a group of members of the community wrote to the Belgian Prime Minister that it believed it to be incorrect to link antisemitic incidents to criticism of Israel by government ministers. Foreign policy and the protection of the Jewish community are separate domains and should not be conflated, this other letter said.
As previously reported, hate speech and antisemitic incidents take place in the member states, not on EU level. There are member states that have not yet implemented their actions plans or enforced existing legislation against Holocaust denial and antisemitism. In some countries, the Jewish population lives in fear since 7 October.
In combatting racism and Holocaust denial with legal means, Belgium is taken harsh measures. Dries Van Langenhove, the founder of the far-right movement Schild & Vrienden, was recently sentenced to a one-year effective prison term and the loss of certain civil rights for ten years because of violations of the racism and negationism law.
“I’m proud that we have produced tangible results,” said Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, at the international Holocaust Remembrance Day in January. “We are working with the Belgian EU-Presidency and international actors to make a difference in Jewish life in Europe.”
The EU stands by its Jewish citizens, he underlined. December last year, the commission adopted a document with a call for action to all Europeans to stand up against hatred in all its form, both on-line and off-line, and speak up for tolerance and respect.