Belgium summons US ambassador over claims of antisemitism in rare diplomatic row

South China Morning Post · Feb 17, 2026 · Collected from RSS

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Belgium summoned the US ambassador on Tuesday over a social media post where he accused the country of antisemitic persecution of Jewish Belgians, the kingdom’s foreign minister said.“Labelling Belgium as antisemitic is not just wrong, it’s dangerous disinformation that undermines the real fight against hatred,” Belgian foreign minister Maxime Prevot said in a social media post on Monday. The summons is a rare move between staunch allies.“An ambassador accredited to Belgium has a responsibility to respect our institutions, our elected representatives, and the independence of our judicial system,” Prevot said.“Personal attacks against a Belgian minister and interference in judicial matters violate basic diplomatic norms.”National broadcaster VRT reported that Belgian authorities were investigating whether three men in Antwerp were performing circumcisions without certified medical training.US ambassador to Belgium Bill White has accused the country of antisemitism. Photo: US Embassy in BelgiumUS Ambassador Bill White said on a social media post that this investigation was “unacceptable harassment of the Jewish community here in Antwerp and in Belgium”.