Jewish organizations in Belgium have expressed regret that King Philippe of Belgium did not mention the Israeli hostages, did not point out Hamas’s responsibility and did not address the “Manichean” position of the U.N. secretary-general in his Sunday speech on the occasion of the country’s national holiday.
In his annual televised address, the King spoke about the many conflicts in the world, focusing particularly on the war in the Gaza Strip.
“I add my voice to all those who denounce the grave humanitarian abuses in Gaza, where innocent people are dying of hunger and falling under bombs, suffocated in their enclaves,” he said.
“The current situation has gone on far too long. It is a disgrace for all humanity. We support the U.N. secretary-general’s call for an immediate end to this unbearable crisis,” he added.
While welcoming the monarch’s desire “to convey a message of humanity and peace in the face of the situation in Gaza,” CCOJB (the Coordination Committee of Belgian Jewish Organizations) stated that “even though the King does not single out Gaza’s responsibilities, by supporting the U.N. Secretary-General’s appeal, his speech aligns with the latter’s violently anti-Israeli, Manichean position.”
“This ignores Hamas’s responsibility for the barbaric acts of Oct. 7, the situation of the Gazans, and its refusal to accept any ceasefire solution,” the statement continued.
“Above all, the Israeli hostages, whose abduction and confinement constitute crimes against humanity, are forgotten.”
According to CCOJB, the king’s silence “is striking, particularly at a time of resurgent anti-Semitism, with the Jewish community falling victim to increasingly worrying attacks directly linked to the situation in the Middle East and the conflation of issues that make it responsible.”
The Antwerp-based Forum of Jewish Organizations expressed “deep disappointment, incomprehension, and sadness at the authorities’ prolonged silence regarding the barbaric attack of Oct. 7.”
“Since that horrible day, dozens of hostages remain detained in Gaza’s tunnels, in inhumane conditions. For them and their families, every day of silence is one day too many,” stated the Forum, which represents Jewish communities in Flanders.
The Belgian Royal Palace could not be reached for comment on Tuesday.
Originally published by European Jewish Press.
