Belgian Jewish leaders 'satisfied' with security despite withdrawal of military

• Author: JEREMY SHARON
• Published date: 07 October 2021
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

At the same time, some community activists, as well as a prominent Jewish MK, have expressed concern about the withdrawal of military protection and what they say is the smaller police presence protecting Jewish institutions, particularly in Antwerp with its sizable and highly visible Jewish population.

Back in July, the Belgian government announced that it would be ending the security protection for Jewish community institutions that has been in place following the 2014 terrorist attack against a Jewish museum in Brussels and the 2015 attack against a kosher supermarket in nearby Paris.

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Concerns were raised in some quarters over this move, especially in light of the fact that Belgium's security services still put the terrorist threat to the Jewish community at level three out of four, higher than for the general population.

The military protection was formally removed at the beginning of September, although a strong police presence was in place for synagogues and other communal institutions throughout the Jewish holiday season. The police have now ended their heightened protection as well.

Philipe Scharf, copresident of the Forum of Jewish Organizations in the Flanders region of Belgium, which includes Antwerp, said that following the announcement of the federal government to withdraw the military protection, he and his organization were in contact with government officials at the national and local levels to make their concerns over ongoing security coverage clear.

Since the withdrawal of the military protection, Scharf said, "So far, I have not received feedback that there have been serious flaws in security," adding: "From a functional point of view, there is adequate security coverage."

Scharf said there is an ongoing police presence at Jewish schools and synagogues in Antwerp, although he indicated this was not round the clock. "If people were used to seeing the army, they might subjectively think there is now a security concern."

He said, however, that there is a "comprehensive plan by the police in place in order to cover institutions, synagogues, schools and so on."

Scharf said his organization was "up till now satisfied with current security arrangements," but that it "would remain vigilant" and continue to monitor the issue.

Yohan Benizri, president of the CCOJB, an umbrella group of Jewish organizations in...