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Belgium's ban on ritual circumcision is the same as making Jews second-class citizens - editorial

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Opinion Sources not specified New plan
  • Belgium is prosecuting two Jewish ritual circumcisers, a move the editorial argues is incompatible with welcoming Jews.
  • The editorial cites a rise in antisemitic incidents in Belgium and a lack of a national action plan against antisemitism.
  • It draws a parallel to the Holocaust, suggesting Belgian authorities should be sensitive to measures perceived as an assault on Jewish identity.

An editorial in The Jerusalem Post argues that Belgium's prosecution of two mohels, who perform ritual circumcision, is tantamount to making Jews second-class citizens. The article highlights that ritual circumcision is a fundamental commandment in Judaism, practiced for millennia.

"You can’t want Jews in your country and outlaw ritual circumcision. The two are mutually exclusive," the editorial states. It contends that a country criminalizing this practice is in direct conflict with the flourishing of Jewish communal life.

You can’t want Jews in your country and outlaw ritual circumcision. The two are mutually exclusive.

· The Jerusalem Post EditorialThe editorial argues that outlawing ritual circumcision is incompatible with welcoming Jewish people.

The piece also points to a significant rise in antisemitic incidents in Belgium, an 80% increase in 2025 according to one of the Anti-Defamation League's Belgian partners. Belgium is noted as one of the few EU countries without a dedicated national action plan to combat antisemitism and is frequently among Israel's harshest critics in Europe.

antisemitic in nature

· 45 leaders of European Jewish communitiesIn an open letter, European Jewish leaders described the prosecution of mohels as antisemitic.

This situation is particularly troubling given Belgium's history during the Holocaust, when approximately 28,000 of its 66,000 Jewish residents were murdered. The editorial suggests this history should make Belgian authorities more sensitive to actions perceived as attacks on Jewish religious identity.

European Jewish leaders have expressed horror at the criminalization of circumcision, with 45 leaders of European Jewish communities stating in an open letter that Belgium's refusal to find accommodation, unlike France, Holland, and Germany, indicates the prosecution is "antisemitic in nature." The US Ambassador to Belgium, Bill White, called the decision a "shameful stain on Belgium."

a shameful stain on Belgium.

· Bill WhiteThe US Ambassador to Belgium commented on the decision to prosecute the mohels.
About this summary

Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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