Indictment Issued Against 3 Antwerp Mohalim, US Ambassador Slams ‘Antisemitic Prosecution’
Police raided the men’s homes, seized knives and sought records of circumcisions after a complaint prompted the case, officials said.
- On Wednesday, a Belgian court indicted three Mohels in Antwerp for performing circumcisions without a certified physician present, following a complaint filed against the religious practitioners.
- Last year, police raided the homes of HaRav Aharon Eckstein and HaRav Moshe Landau, confiscating knives and demanding lists of all babies circumcised in the past year.
- Ambassador Bill White called the indictments a "shameful stain on Belgium," while The Trump Administration condemned the judicial action and demanded an immediate certification solution from the Belgian government.
- Belgium joins Ireland as countries using criminal law to prosecute Jews for practicing Judaism; about 60 Jewish leaders appealed to European Commission President Ursula, asserting the move violates religious freedom.
- Earlier this year, White accused the Belgian government of targeting religious practice, demanding that Belgian Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke establish legal provisions allowing Mohels to perform their duties lawfully.
22 Articles
22 Articles
Belgium Indicts Jewish Mohels, Sparking Diplomatic Firestorm With US and Israel
Belgian army personnel patrol a street as part of a deployment of soldiers outside Jewish institutions in Antwerp and Brussels following attacks at Jewish sites in Belgium and other European countries, in Antwerp, Belgium, March 23, 2026. Photo: REUTERS/Yves Herman Belgian authorities have indicted two mohels for allegedly performing illegal circumcisions, amid a government probe into the Jewish ritual — with Jewish and political leaders warning…
Israel, US condemn Belgium over planned prosecutions tied to Jewish circumcisions
A diplomatic spat erupted on Wednesday after Belgian prosecutors moved to charge two Jewish men tied to ritual circumcisions, prompting Israeli and U.S. officials to accuse Belgium of targeting Jews for practicing their faith. Gideon Saar, Israel’s minister of foreign affairs, lit into the country in a post on X Wednesday morning, calling the indictments a “scarlet letter on Belgian society.” “With this act Belgium joins a short and shameful lis…
The controversy surrounding Jewish circumcisers is flaring up again now that the Antwerp public prosecutor's office is referring two men to the correctional court. US Ambassador Bill White immediately called it a “disgrace for Belgium.” “Belgium is not an antisemitic state, that is nonsense,” responds Prime Minister Bart De Wever to his accusations.
Belgium indicts two mohels, citing sufficient evidence of 'bodily harm with premeditation'
The two men involved will appear before the pre-trial chamber on 18 June, behind closed doors. The pre-trial chamber will then decide whether to refer the case to the criminal court.
The European Jewish Association (EJA) has expressed a strong condemnation after the intention of the Antwerp Public Prosecutor’s Office to bring to trial two mohels, those responsible for performing ritual circumcision within the Jewish tradition. The decision has generated a deep controversy in Belgium and has reopened the debate on the boundaries between state legislation and religious freedom in Europe. The president of the EJA, Rabbi Menache…
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