The Israeli Foreign Ministry on Thursday said it would work to reverse the ruling of the European Union’s highest court, which upheld the ban on non-stun slaughter in the Belgian regions of Flanders and Wallonia.
"The European Court of Justice today upheld the de facto ban on kosher slaughter in Belgium, sending a harsh message to all of European Jewry. Beyond the fact that the decision violates freedom of worship and religion in Europe, a value which is at the heart of the EU, it signals to the Jewish communities that they are undesirable in Europe," the Foreign Ministry said.
"It is important that a way be found to change the decision and allow the Jewish citizens of the European Union to continue to observe the commandments of the Jewish religion. Any other decision is contrary to the values of religious freedom that EU citizens rightly support," it added.
Minister of Diaspora Affairs Omer Yankelevitch also reacted to the decision, saying, "I was very sorry and surprised to hear about the outrageous decision of the European Court of Justice to allow EU countries to ban kosher slaughter. The decision puts Jews and Muslims in a hopeless situation, and damages the fabric of their lives in Europe. The professional staffs in my office are currently examining and studying the decision in depth. We will act soon, together with our allies in Europe and in the institutions of the European Union, in order to continue to enable the existence of Jewish life in Europe."