Israeli minister cancels Belgium visit over security concerns
Israeli minister of diaspora Amichai Chikli has cancelled his visit to Belgium for security reasons, according to Israeli and international media. The right-wing minister was scheduled to attend a Holocaust commemoration organised by the Christian Democratic European People's Party on Tuesday.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed Chikli to cancel the trip to the European Parliament in Brussels. "In light of concrete warnings, in line with the guidelines of the security services," Netanyahu’s cabinet stated.
"I regretfully received an instruction from security authorities to cancel my participation in the International Holocaust Remembrance Day in the European Parliament. It is regrettable that the capital of Europe, Brussels, has become an unsafe place for Jews and Israelis," Chikli wrote on Facebook.
No diplomatic immunity
Israeli media suggest the issue may not involve a direct threat to Chikli but rather Belgium’s refusal to grant him diplomatic immunity. This could expose him to potential legal consequences tied to a complaint from the Hind Rajab Foundation, founded by activist Dyab Abou Jahjah. The organisation routinely files complaints against Israeli officials abroad, alleging war crimes. Chikli and Jahjah have clashed before, with Chikli addressing Jahjah on X in a "threatening tone," referencing Israel's military actions against Hezbollah. Jahjah has stated his intention to file a complaint against Chikli.
Domestic Israeli politics may also have influenced the decision. Chikli, a hardliner, opposed the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal, drawing criticism from more than 40 family members of Israeli hostages. In a letter to the European People's Party, they wrote, "The extremist and divisive positions of minister Chikli do not reflect the values or voices of the broader Israeli public or global Jewish communities."
Israeli minister of diaspora Amichai Chikli gives a speech in Madrid in 2024
© CARLOS LUJÁN / EUROPA PRESS / CONTACTO
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