Unia publishes a report dedicated to antisemitism in Belgium (2024) and makes 10 recommendations. This analytical work, based on files from 2018 to 2022, is structured in two parts. The second part is dedicated to the impact of the tragic events of October 7, 2023 on the reports received by its services.
I. Antisemitism in Belgium. Analysis and recommendations based on files processed by Unia between 2018 and 2022
In 2021, Unia published a note relating to antisemitism and the IHRA definition. Time has not stopped in the meantime. Research reports as well as reports sent to Unia and other actors, Jewish organizations and the police indicate that all kinds of antisemitic hate messages and hate crimes, particularly on social networks, remain a sad reality and that the fight against antisemitism must intensify.
In this report, we first briefly return to the 2021 analysis , then we review the different definitions of antisemitic acts (whether legal definitions or alternative working definitions) and their use in the practice.
II. The impact of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: hate speech and crimes in Belgium – focus on reports between October 7 and December 7, 2023
Due to the tragic news, Unia has drafted a document annexed to the report, which examines the impact of the conflict on its activity .
In two months, between October 7, 2023 and December 7, 2023, 91 reports were recorded, of which 66 explicitly referred to Jewish ancestry. These are essentially hate messages, more than half online, but also comments made in public spaces. Unia is also in contact with the public prosecutor’s office and the police in 9 cases relating to attacks and damage.
For comparison, last year, Unia recorded on average between 4 and 5 reports per month.
Conflict does not change the nature of acts, but it increases their intensity due to a magnifying glass effect. The same phenomenon was observed in 2008-2009.
Unia mandate and figures
As an organization promoting equality, Unia regularly receives reports, requests for opinions, etc. concerning comments, behaviors, drawings, slogans, actions that fit in one way or another in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Controversies regarding certain elements of the aforementioned definitions also refer to this conflict.
Unia, in its capacity as an independent Belgian public body, has neither the mandate (nor the expertise) to take a position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict itself, as well as for or against the protagonists on one side or the other. It is in this spirit that we choose a primarily legalistic approach in the concrete treatment of this type of case. On the other hand, in reporting and raising awareness, we are not necessarily limited to this legal framework.
It is important to note here that this report only concerns facts reported to Unia or which reach Unia through other channels (the media, for example) and that it is, by definition, not the description of a purely objective or exhaustive reality . We know that many incidents go unreported. We must therefore be careful when talking about evolution. We nevertheless offer an overview of the figures for the last five years (2018-2022).
Recommendations and action plan
Unia unreservedly supports this fight against antisemitism and considers it a priority. However, there is room for improvement so that this fight can be fought as best as possible . Unia regularly identifies weak points, both during the processing of files and at the strategic level. These elements relate both to the more general fight against discrimination and racism and to the specific improvements needed to combat antisemitism.
Unia makes 10 recommendations :
- Invest sustainably in the new interfederal mechanism for coordinating the fight against anti-Semitism which met for the first time on January 15.
- Improve recording and reporting at police and public prosecutor levels.
- Integrate anti-Semitism into anti-racism action plans.
- Stimulate studies on antisemitism in Belgium.
- Improve knowledge about anti-Semitism and the Shoah.
- Encourage victims to report the facts.
- Introduce a general clause relating to aggravating circumstances in the event of a discriminatory motive/hate motive.
- Improve the application of circular COL13/2013.
- Invest in alternative measures
- Pay sufficient attention to the specificity of the status of victim of (anti-Semitic) hate crimes.
Unia also recommends an in-depth study of the preventive and repressive measures necessary against anti-Semitism as well as specialized support and supervision for victims of antisemitic crimes.
