The Belgian government will deploy Defence and Federal Police forces to protect sites linked to the Jewish community following recent antisemitic attacks in Belgium, Norway, and the Netherlands.
The heightened security measures will be implemented at synagogues and Jewish schools as quickly as possible, Interior Minister Bernard Quintin (Mouvement Réformateur, MR) and Defence Minister Theo Francken (Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie, N-VA) said on Monday.
The deployment will be managed by the police, working closely with Defence, but the number of soldiers involved has not yet been confirmed.
Minister Quintin expressed grave concern over the rising threat of antisemitism. pointing to a recent attack near the synagogue in Liège as evidence of the serious dangers facing the Jewish community in Belgium. He stated that ensuring the security of all citizens was a fundamental duty of the State, above and beyond any political considerations.
Minister Francken emphasised Defence’s readiness to support national security in times of crisis. He added that the collaboration with police would reinforce the protection of the Jewish community and underscored Defence’s commitment to public safety.
An early-morning explosion occurred on 9 March near the synagogue in Liège, alarming the local community. Subsequent incidents were reported in Rotterdam and Amsterdam, including arson at a synagogue and an explosion near a Jewish school. In Norway, a blast targeted the US Embassy on 8 March.
Following the Liège attack, various political figures called for the deployment of military personnel to secure locations frequented by the Jewish community. MR President Georges-Louis Bouchez reiterated this demand in Parliament on Thursday, while Antwerp Mayor Els van Doesburg (N-VA) voiced impatience over delays.
The Coordination Committee of Jewish Organisations in Belgium (CCOJB) also appealed for a military presence near Jewish sites.
The MR party has long advocated for troops to patrol the streets to fight crime in Brussels and safeguard Jewish institutions. However, the Christen Democratisch en Vlaams (CD&V) party has linked the issue to tackling overcrowding in Belgium's prisons.
Discussions on the matter continued in the Federal Government’s core cabinet on Friday but had yet to produce an agreement.
The temporary directive announced by Quintin and Francken is authorised under Article 111 of the law on integrated police, allowing the Federal Police’s commissioner-general to request military support for police operations.
This is not the first time the army has been enlisted to protect sites related to the Jewish community. During Operation ‘Vigilant Guardian’ in 2015, soldiers were deployed to address heightened terrorism concerns.
