The decision to organize such a tribute for an Holocaust denier was denounced by the Brussels-based European Jewish Association.

The Flemish parliament has caused a stir when it paid tribute to an extreme-right politician who had been convicted of denying the Holocaust.

Roeland Raes, who was a member of the extreme-right Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) political party, died last November.

In 2001, Roeland Raes caused a scandal by questioning the extermination of Jews by the Nazi regime, in an interview on Dutch television. At the time, he defined himself as a revisionist. He was convicted of Holocaust denial by the Brussels Court of Appeal and condemned to a fine of 1,800 euros in damages, plus a four-month suspended prison sentence.

Last week, the Flemish parliament, which is the parliament of the Flanders region of Belgium,  observed a minute’s silence in his memory during a plenary session.

The decision to organize such a tribute for an Holocaust denier was denounced by the Brussels-based European Jewish Association (EJA. In a letter to the Speaker of the Flemish Parliament, Freya van den Bossche, EJA Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin and Member of the Belgian federal parliament  Michael Freilich wrote: ‘’Paying tribute in the form of a minute’s silence during plenary sessions is a powerful symbol, and it is not appropriate to assign this symbol to persons convicted of serious acts such as negationism, murder or other serious crimes. This is not only a question of procedure, but also of moral leadership.’’

They called on the Speaker ‘’to ealuate and review the current procedure and establish clear criteria for whether or not to commemorate former members of parliament,’’ noting that next week on Januaery 27 will be an important moment of remembrance as it will mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

‘’This day reminds us of the need to remain vigilant and to strive for justice, historical veracity and respect for victims of atrocities,’’ they wrote in the letter.

They also asked the Flemish parliament to hold a minute’s silence for the victims of the Nazi regime and the 25,000 Jews deported to Auschwitz from Belgium.