A diplomatic dispute is escalating between Belgium and the United States after U.S. Ambassador Bill White accused Belgium of antisemitism over an investigation into ritual circumcisions performed by three Jewish mohels in Antwerp. White’s public criticism prompted a summons to the Belgian Foreign Ministry and accusations of interference in a judicial matter.
The controversy centers on an investigation into whether the three mohels performed circumcisions without the required medical qualifications and adherence to hygienic standards, as stipulated by Belgian law. While circumcision is legal in Belgium, it must be carried out by a trained medical professional.
White launched a scathing attack on Belgian officials via social media on Monday, demanding that Belgium drop the “ridiculous and antisemitic ‘prosecution’” of the three men. He specifically targeted Belgian Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke, calling him “very rude and quite obnoxious” and suggesting he create a legal framework to allow mohels to practice without medical training. He also alluded to a past perceived slight, stating Vandenbroucke had refused to shake his hand or pose for a photo in a room named after Eleanor Roosevelt.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot swiftly condemned White’s statements, calling the suggestion that Belgium is antisemitic “false, offensive, and unacceptable.” Prévot summoned White to the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, where Secretary-General Theodora Gentzis reminded the ambassador of diplomatic norms and the principle of separation of powers, emphasizing the importance of non-interference in the independent judicial system.
White, however, remained defiant, stating there was “no need” to apologize after the meeting. He further insisted that Belgium either change its law or acknowledge the investigation as antisemitic. He announced plans to travel to Antwerp next week to meet with the mohels and their families, inviting Vandenbroucke and Conner Rousseau, the Vooruit party chairman, to join him.
The public rebuke from White has drawn criticism from Belgian politicians across the political spectrum. Rousseau rejected White’s invitation and defended Vandenbroucke, stating that no one is above the law in a constitutional state. He also called for an apology from the ambassador for accusing Belgium of antisemitism. Vandenbroucke has maintained his position that he will not intervene in the ongoing legal proceedings.
Political scientist Dave Sinardet of the Free University of Brussels (VUB) noted that White’s intervention violates established diplomatic rules outlined in the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
The controversy has also attracted attention from abroad. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has voiced support for White’s criticism. White responded to Prévot’s reaction by claiming that interpretations of his statements as a call to interfere in the judicial process were a “political attempt to deflect from the facts.”
As of Wednesday, February 18, 2026, the Belgian government has not altered its position, and Ambassador White has not retracted his statements. The U.S. Embassy in Belgium has not responded to requests for comment.
