Overview
- Belgian prosecutors, who announced indictments Wednesday, charged two mohels with intentional assault against minors and the unlawful practice of medicine.
- U.S. Ambassador Bill White called the move a shameful stain on Belgium, and Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar said it marked a scarlet letter on Belgian society.
- Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot rejected accusations of antisemitism and stressed judicial independence, and Prime Minister Bart De Wever said health standards must be respected by all.
- The next step is a closed-door hearing on June 18 that will decide if the case goes to trial, which could force Jewish families in Antwerp to rely on certified doctors or seek a new certification path for ritual circumcision.
- The probe followed a 2023 complaint by Rabbi Moshe Aryeh Friedman and police raids in 2024 that seized tools and sought child lists, and reporting now varies on whether two or three mohels are implicated as Belgian law requires a licensed medical professional for circumcisions.