Belgian foreign minister puts US ambassador White in his place

Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot’s response to this morning’s tweets from the US ambassador and Israeli foreign minister was swift.  He, in turn, reacted sharply on X.

‘Mr Ambassador, I urge you to exercise greater restraint and to view your role in the proper context. It is inappropriate to publicly criticise a country and tarnish its image simply because you disagree with judicial proceedings. I have already told you this.’

Prévot points out that the judiciary in Belgium’s constitutional democracy operates with complete independence. "This freedom has never been called into question and never will be in our country. Our

constitution protects it, and it is not for an ambassador to dictate the government’s agenda."

In February, Prévot had already summoned the ambassador for a first meeting, a diplomatic way of making the government’s position clear. Today, Prévot is responding much more directly.   

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar also posted a tweet this morning following the public prosecutor’s decision to prosecute the two circumcisers.

‘Enough with these caricatures, Minister,’ Prévot responds. "In Belgium, the judiciary is independent and makes its decisions – whether one agrees with them or not – free from any political influence."

Prévot also points out that the legal proceedings against the two circumcisers stem from a complaint by the controversial Jewish rabbi Moshe Friedman. “To portray those (proceedings) as a country’s desire to undermine the religious freedom of Jews is defamatory,” writes the minister. “This freedom has never been called into question and never will be in our country.”