“The aim of this march is to show the Jewish community that it is not alone,” explained Yves Oschinsky, President of CCOJB, the umbrella organisation of Jewish institutions in Belgium, which has called for the march together with the Belgian League Against Anti-Semitism and the Forum of Jewish organizations in Antwerp.
After Paris and London and other cities around the world, a ‘’national and civic’’march against antisemitism will be held in Brussels on Sunday amid threats to the Jewish community on the rise since the Hamas massacres in Israel on October 7.
“The aim of this march is to show the Jewish community that it is not alone,” explained Yves Oschinsky, President of CCOJB, the umbrella organisation of Jewish institutions in Belgium, which has called for the march together with the Belgian League Against Anti-Semitism and the Forum of Jewish organizations in Antwerp.
“It’s not a march between Jews for Jews. The aim is to make politicians, who are currently misguided, understand that anti-Semitism is not an electoral asset but has an electoral cost,’’ said Joel Rubinfeld of the Belgian League Against Antisemitism.
“Anti-Semitism has increased dramatically since October 7. But since that date, it has also changed in nature,’’ he said.
Ocam, the governmental body in charge of the analysis of threats, warned of a rise in anti-Semitism in Belgium since October 7.
‘’If Ocam, which is usually very reserved, is sounding the alarm, I think that testifies to the fact that there is danger in the house,’’ said Rubinfeld, who deplores the lack of action on the part of politicians.
‘’Some statements by politicians take up the semantic markers of contemporary anti-Semitism,” he noted.
“The current trend is for anti-Semitic speech to be liberated, and history has taught us that the act is preceded by speech”, he asserted. He stresses the good work done by the police to protect important Jewish sites in Belgium, “but it’s at the political level that we need to act”, he said.
Yves Oschinsky, President of CCOJB, insisted hat the march is intended to be exclusively a citizens’ demonstration, free from any political instrumentalization of any kind, as well as from any political banner, signs, flags and slogans. ‘’
We call on all citizens to mobilize against anti-Semitism, alongside the Jewish community,’’ he said.
“Both abroad and here, we have noted an increasing number of reports of anti-Semitic acts,’’ he said. He mentioned in particular the recent desecration of at least 85 Jewish graves in a cemetery near the city of Charleroi.
He also thanked the 70 personalities from civil society who joined the call for the national march against anti-Semitism.
In their appeal, the personalities, including Belgian writers, actors and singers, wrote: “The Jews of Europe are once again living in fear. With these words, the European Commission expressed its alarm on November 5 at the upsurge in anti-Semitic incidents across Europe [which]in recent days have reached exceptionally high levels, reminiscent of some of the darkest periods in history”.
The text adds, ‘’The European Commission’s findings also apply to Belgium. Since the pogrom perpetrated by Hamas in Israel on October 7 and the war that followed, we have noted with concern the physical attacks on Jews, as well as the liberation of anti-Semitic speech in our streets, on our screens and in the words of citizens and elected representatives.
Since 2000, the situation for Jews in Belgium has gradually degenerated into a conflict 4,000 kilometers away. This situation has resulted in a proliferation of anti-Semitic acts, the most tragic of which was the attack on the Jewish Museum, the transformation of Jewish sites into veritable fortresses, the desecration of Jewish graves, the desertion of public schools by many Jewish students, and the continuing departure of Jewish families from the Kingdom. Over the last twenty years, a worrying proportion of Belgium’s Jews have already left. Recent events will accelerate the pace.’’
‘’The European Commission concludes: “In these difficult times, the EU stands by its Jewish communities”.
The appeal ends with the call on Belgian citizens to march in Brussels, the capital of Belgium and Europe, on December 10, which is qlso International Human Rights Day, and ‘’to stand by the Jewish communities.’’
‘’Europe was built on the promise of “Never again. Because never again is now,’’ it says.
Next Sunday also, the fourth candle of Chanukah, the Jewish Festival of Light, will be lit in the EU quarter by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
On Wednesday, the European Commission unveiled a series of measures and recommendations across policy areas to tackle hate crimes, including antisemitism, across Europe;
The Commission will top up its funds for the protection of public places and places of worship with 30 million euros in 2024. 5 million euros will be specially dedicated to combat antisemitism.
Although the set of actions by the Commission is aimed at preventing all kinds of hatred, ”antisemitism is a special case in my view,” said European Commission Vice-President Vera Jourova at a press conference. ”I spoke yesterday to the Jewish students and different Jewish communities. ”I can tell you that they have a big fear that they cannot live anymore in Europe, so they are considering emigrating,” she added.