Belgium’s foreign minister, Maxime Prévot, summoned the United States ambassador to Belgium, Bill White, for a formal reprimand after the envoy accused Belgium of antisemitism and launched personal criticism against the country’s health minister.
Prévot firmly dismissed the allegations, emphasizing that Belgium rejects antisemitism unequivocally and considers any claim to the contrary to be unfounded and offensive. He also warned that personal attacks and comments perceived as interference in ongoing legal matters run counter to accepted diplomatic standards.
The dispute centers on criminal proceedings in Antwerp involving three Jewish mohels (professional circumcisers) accused of carrying out circumcisions without the required authorization. The men were detained and later released in May 2024, their ritual instruments were seized, and they were barred from continuing the practice pending the outcome of the case.
Ambassador White publicly denounced the case, characterizing it as discriminatory and questioning why charges were brought against these specific individuals, particularly in a city with a substantial Jewish population. He argued that circumcision is widely and safely practiced in Belgium and suggested the prosecution reflects an antisemitic bias.
The ambassador also addressed Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke, urging him to promote legislation that would formally permit mohels to operate, framing the issue as essential to safeguarding religious freedom. In subsequent remarks, White escalated his criticism of the minister and announced plans to travel to Antwerp to meet the accused mohels and their families.
While White maintained that he was not seeking direct political intervention in the judicial process, he continued to argue that the prosecution itself carries antisemitic implications. Belgian officials responded that such statements, especially when they target a sitting minister, are viewed as exceeding acceptable diplomatic boundaries.