EU commissioner defends Jewish rites amid Belgian 'milah' row

EU Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi defended Jewish religious practices, including brith milah, amid a diplomatic dispute over Belgium's prosecution of three Jews for performing the ritual. Speaking at a Rosh Hashanah event in Brussels, Várhelyi stated, "Europe cannot say that the Jewish life belongs here, while making it increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to live a full Jewish life here." He emphasized that Jewish traditions must be respected and protected, and that "No Jew in Europe should ever have to choose between being visibly Jewish and feeling safe."

• The Conference of European Rabbis (CER) Chief Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt unveiled a seven-point manifesto addressing religious extremism and antisemitic violence, advocating for measures such as training religious leaders and strengthening oversight of religious institutions.
• The Belgian prosecution of mohels (those who perform circumcisions) for allegedly violating laws requiring surgical procedures to be performed by licensed medical practitioners has drawn criticism from Israel and the U.S. ambassador to Belgium.
• Similar debates are occurring in Europe regarding kosher and halal animal slaughter, with two of Belgium's three regions having effectively banned these methods.
• The CER manifesto also calls for elected officials to avoid inflammatory rhetoric on Israel, which Rabbi Goldschmidt noted has a "direct correlation between statements that are perceived by the population as antisemitic...and the acts of those getting the ‘green light’ to act violently."