Belgium deploys troops to protect Jewish sites amid rising security concerns

Belgium has deployed military personnel to guard Jewish institutions, including schools and synagogues, as part of enhanced security measures in response to rising concerns over antisemitism and urban violence.

Defence Minister Theo Francken announced that approximately 100 soldiers are already on duty, with plans to increase their number to around 200 in April. The deployment is currently scheduled to last three months, subject to ongoing threat assessments.

According to the minister, troops have been stationed in major cities such as Brussels and Antwerp, where they are tasked with protecting Jewish communities from potential acts of violence and terrorism.

Francken also indicated that the military will expand its role beyond static protection duties. At the request of federal authorities, soldiers will assist police forces in operations targeting organised crime, particularly drug-related gangs that have contributed to deteriorating security in certain urban areas.

“In Brussels, certain neighbourhoods have become nearly unlivable due to drug gangs,” he said, describing the situation as a broader security crisis.

The move follows a series of recent incidents that authorities have classified as antisemitic. Earlier this month, an explosive device detonated near a synagogue in Liège. In a separate incident in Antwerp, a car belonging to a member of the Jewish community was set on fire.

Belgium is home to an estimated 50 active synagogues, around 30 of which are located in Antwerp, the centre of the country’s largest Jewish population. The country also has approximately 10 major Jewish schools.