Belgium Accuses U.S. Ambassador of Spreading Misinformation About Circumcision Case

Belgium Summons U.S. Ambassador Over Antisemitism Accusations

Belgium’s government has summoned U.S. Ambassador Bill White for formal consultations after the diplomat publicly accused the country of antisemitism in connection with an ongoing investigation into traditional Jewish circumcision practices.

The diplomatic row erupted Tuesday when Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot called White’s allegations “dangerous disinformation” and demanded that the ambassador respect Belgian institutions and judicial independence. Prévot emphasized that personal attacks and interference in domestic affairs violated established diplomatic protocols.

“Any suggestion that Belgium is antisemitic is false, offensive, and unacceptable,” Prévot stated in a social media post. “Belgium condemns antisemitism with the greatest firmness. The fight against antisemitism, and all forms of hatred and discrimination, is an absolute priority for our country.”

The controversy centers on an investigation by Belgian authorities into three Jewish religious figures in Antwerp who are suspected of performing circumcisions without the medical training required under Belgian law. According to local public broadcaster VRT, authorities conducted searches of the men’s homes in May as part of their ongoing inquiry.

Ambassador White sparked the confrontation on Monday with a social media post characterizing the investigation as antisemitic harassment. He called on Belgium’s health minister to “immediately make a legal provision to allow Jewish religious MOHELS to perform their duties here in Belgium.”

A mohel is a Jewish religious official who performs traditional ritual circumcisions, known as brit milah, which typically occurs on the eighth day after a male infant’s birth. In many orthodox communities, mohels conduct these procedures based on religious training rather than formal medical credentials.

“It’s done in all civilized countries as legal procedure. BELGIUM is a civilized country,” White wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Stop this unacceptable harassment of the Jewish community here in Antwerp and in Belgium. It’s 2026, you need to get into the 21st century and allow our brethren Jewish families in Belgium to legally execute their religious freedoms!”

After being summoned by the Belgian government, White escalated the situation with another social media post, responding to Prévot that “it’s not ok to simply say we ‘follow the law’ and ‘we are not antisemitic’. Both of those things can’t be true in this case.” The ambassador announced his intention to visit the three accused men in Antwerp and invited Belgium’s health minister to join him.

Prévot clarified that Belgian law “permits ritual circumcision when performed by a qualified physician under strict health and safety standards,” while declining to comment on specifics of the ongoing investigation.

The dispute highlights the sometimes delicate balance between religious freedoms and public health regulations in European countries. Unlike Belgium, the United States does not require medical credentials for those performing religious circumcisions, though certain higher-risk aspects of traditional practices have caused controversy in American communities with large Orthodox Jewish populations.

Antwerp, where the investigation is taking place, hosts one of Europe’s largest and most established Orthodox Jewish communities, with historical roots dating back centuries. The city has long been a center for diamond trading with significant Jewish participation in the industry.

This diplomatic incident occurs against a backdrop of rising concerns about antisemitism across Europe, particularly following the Israel-Hamas conflict that began in October 2023, which has led to increased security measures around Jewish institutions in many European countries, including Belgium.

Neither the U.S. State Department nor the Belgian embassy in Washington has issued formal statements about the diplomatic summons at this time.