BRUSSELS —‘’Anti-Semitism has no place in our society,’’ said Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel in an address on Thursday in Brussels to the annual dinner of CCOJB, the umbrella representative group of Jewish organizations in Belgium.
“I will instruct the National Security Council to strengthen operational instruments to fight against anti-Semitism, racism and xenophobia,” he said.
‘’I know that Jews are insulted, sometimes brutalized because they are Jewish, that in schools, children are harassed because they are Jewish, we do not tolerate these behaviors, nor their trivialization. ” declared the Prime Minister.
As he condemned as ‘’unacceptable’’ racist insults against a weather presenter of the Belgian public television ‘’because of her skin color,’’ Michel added : ‘’I also know that Jews are insulted, sometimes brutalized, because they are Jewish, that in schools, children are harassed because they are Jewish. We do not tolerate these behaviors, nor their trivialization.”
In his speech he stressed that ‘’guaranteeing security is our common duty, guaranteeing security is a permanent battle,” before indicating that he would continue to mobilize the ‘’necessary means to ensure security. enhanced protection for Jewish institutions and other strategic places.’’
“Fear must change sides,” Charles Michel concluded.
At the end of his address, the Prime Minister wished the Jewish community Shana Tova but mistakenly mentioned 5559 and not 5779 as the New Year….
Before him, CCOJB President Yohan Benizri addressed the concerns of the Jewish community. He thanked the Prime Minister, his government and the security forces for their efforts to counter the threat to the Jewish community, while insisting on the security costs that the community continues to bear alone on a daily basis.
He called for more vigorous action on the control of hate speech on the Internet and welcomed the Belgian Senate initiative against anti-Semitism. He also called for Belgium to adopt the comprehensive definition of anti-Semitism proposed by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).
He reiterated the formal opposition of Jews, whether practicing or not, to the laws making it impossible to slaughter religiously in Flanders and Wallonia, the two main regions of the country.
The president of CCOJB also called for more constructive actions to contribute to the emergence of peace in the Middle East and fiercely attacked anti-Zionism and the Boycott-Disinvestment-Sanctions (BDS) movement.
Yohan Benizri concluded on the frustrations felt by the Jewish community of Belgium, which, while sharing the same dreams and the same hopes as all other Belgians, sees its resources and talents wasted in defending itself and ringing the bell alarm.
The CCOJB, he said, wants to contribute to the emergence of a bright future for all the children of the Kingdom and asks the government to help it to act in this direction.
Some 300 guests attended the annual dinner, including personalities from the political, diplomatic, religious and cultural world of Belgium and Europe, since Brussels has many international institutions.
Every year the Prime Minister addresses the event like France’s President does at the dinner of CRIF.