Soldiers have been deployed on streets throughout Belgium to protect Jewish communities. The deployment began on Monday evening and follows an explosion at a synagogue in Liège earlier this month, which authorities called an “act of antisemitism.”
According to reports, about 200 soldiers have been assigned to protect Jewish schools, synagogues, the Jewish Museum and the Israeli Embassy. The deployment is expected to last for three months in collaboration with the Federal Police. In a post on X, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Franken said security is a “fundamental right”.
Speaking at the Great Synagogue of Europe in Brussels as part of a media event to mark the deployment, Mr Franken said the troops were not replacing any resources and were a “supplement” to police officers.
he told political: “The police force remains the first responder… and has responsibility for the public domain in Belgium. But we have to do more because there are threats to the Jewish community.”
When asked by the outlet if he feared there could be casualties in future attacks, Interior Minister Bernard Quintin said: “I don’t want to wait for that moment. That’s why we’re taking these measures.”
No one was injured or killed in the explosion at a synagogue in Liège on 9 March.
The Jewish community has also been attacked in the neighboring country Netherlands.
The Belgian Defense Ministry had earlier said the troops would be deployed first to Brussels and Antwerp, then to Liège, Reuters reported.
