“Belgium hasn’t suddenly become pro-Israel, but neutrality is already a significant win”

Photo: AP Images

After eight months of negotiations, the June 2024 Belgian elections have finally produced a government — one that has been met with cautious hope by Belgium’s Jewish community, after five years of overtly pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel policies under Alexander De Croo’s government, during one of the most challenging periods for Jews since World War II.

The new prime minister is former Antwerp mayor Bart De Wever of the right-wing New Flemish Alliance (NVA). During his 12 years as mayor of Antwerp, De Wever cultivated a strong relationship with the Jewish community. A critical connection in this dialogue was Michael Freilich, who entered politics with the NVA under De Wever’s guidance. Freilich became the only observant Jew in the Belgian parliament.

In conversation with Mishpacha, Freilich reflected on De Wever’s potential impact. While managing expectations, he noted, “De Wever is a friend of the Jewish People, and now Belgium is going in the right direction.”

Should we expect a shift in policy toward Israel with this new government?

“I definitely hope so, and I think there’s a good chance it will happen. The previous coalition was very hostile toward Israel. Even the former prime minister, a self-described liberal, was extremely harsh on Israel.

“This new government includes two parties with outspoken pro-Israel stances — my party, and the French-speaking Liberals. The prime minister himself, who was Antwerp’s mayor, knows the Jewish community well, and has visited Israel.

“If you look at the coalition agreement and those now in government, it’s clear we’re heading in the right direction.”

Could the change in Belgium’s government affect the European Union’s stance?

“The EU is changing. Elections in member states have shifted parliamentary balances. That said, let’s be realistic — we’re not going to see Belgium become like Germany, the Czech Republic, or Hungary in its support for Israel.

“We’ve moved from an extremely anti-Israel government to a neutral one. That’s already a massive shift, but we’re coming from a very low point.

“This government won’t criticize Israel alone or shy away from critiquing the Palestinian Authority. Crucially, it won’t take unilateral steps like the previous government, which sought to recognize a Palestinian state and join cases against Israel at the ICC.

“For example, on Palestinian state recognition, the government will wait for broader European consensus. Belgium hasn’t suddenly become pro-Israel, but neutrality is already a significant win.”

Will the new government take a more accommodating approach on Jewish observances like shechitah and bris milah?

“Shechitah is a regional issue. It’s permitted in Brussels but banned in the northern and southern regions. Unfortunately, the prime minister has no jurisdiction, because animal welfare laws are decided regionally. I don’t expect changes on this front.

“Instead, I believe it’s far more urgent to focus on safeguarding bris milah. Currently, bris milah is allowed, and there aren’t immediate problems, but some groups are challenging it. One main instigator claimed that mohalim aren’t certified doctors, which prompted an investigation.

“This is part of a broader European issue. Last summer in Ireland, a mohel was arrested for performing a bris milah. What we need is a long-term solution, such as formal European recognition of mohalim. They should obtain certification or a diploma.”

Chainsaw at USAID

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has set its sights on the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The fallout has been crushing. Musk’s team of efficiency czars delivered their verdict, and the government has decreed that only 300 of USAID’s 10,000 employees will remain — a jaw-dropping 97% workforce reduction. Additionally, around 800 contracts are being shredded, and USAID’s $40 billion budget is likely heading for a deep freeze.

The official justification is that while USAID was founded in 1961 with noble goals — to provide civilian aid and foster development in needy nations — it has strayed far from its mission. The Trump administration pointed fingers at absurd initiatives like funding a “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion agenda in Serbia,” developing a Sesame Street–inspired “Sesame Workshop” in Iraq for promoting inclusion among children, and spending millions “to boost tourism in Egypt.”

Critics, however, argue that while inefficiencies and oddities abound, USAID increases American influence in host nations. A federal judge has temporarily blocked the directive to place 2,200 employees on “administrative leave,” signaling that this battle is far from over.

And by the way, the protests against Trump and Elon were swift and plentiful. The most massive of them all? A demonstration led by Sesame Street enthusiasts in Baghdad.

Australia Finally Cracks Down

It seems the Australian government has finally had enough. In a country that has long billed itself as a peaceful haven for over 100,000 Jews, a recent spate of chilling anti-Semitic attacks has prompted lawmakers to act decisively. Enter “the toughest laws Australia has ever had against hate crimes.”

Under these new measures, anyone performing a Nazi salute or displaying Nazi symbols faces a minimum of one year behind bars. Financing terrorism? That’ll cost you three years. And planning a terrorist attack? Six years at the very least.

These crackdowns come after what can only be described as a nightmare stretch for Australia’s Jewish community. In just three months, authorities uncovered a van loaded with explosives intended for Jewish sites, a synagogue in Melbourne was firebombed, a Jewish child care center was torched, and several Jewish schools were defaced with anti-Semitic graffiti.

Beyond the harsher penalties, Australian officials are investigating whether foreign actors are bankrolling these hate-fueled attacks.

“I want people who are engaged in anti-Semitism to be held to account, to be charged, to be incarcerated,” declared Prime Minister Anthony Albanese with the gravitas of a man clearly tired of inaction.

$320 Billion

That’s the amount the tech giants — Meta, Microsoft, Alphabet (a.k.a. Google), and Amazon — have collectively pledged for AI technologies and data center expansions in 2025, a 40% jump from the 2024 figure of $230 billion. If you thought China’s low-cost AI disruptor, DeepSeek, might scare Silicon Valley off of pumping boatloads of cash into artificial intelligence, think again.

Keep these details in mind the next time your yeshivah launches a matching campaign and your high-tech neighbor tells you, regretfully, that he’s already donated to Hatzalah and simply can’t commit to another institution because, well, “It’s been a tough year.”

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 1049)