A well-known Belgian writer is facing a lawsuit from the European Jewish Association after making shocking comments in a recent column. Herman Brusselmans, who is known for his provocative and often offensive language, wrote in Belgium’s Humo magazine that the recent bombings in Gaza made him so angry he wanted to “stab every Jew” he met.
In his column, Brusselmans described his outrage after seeing an image of a distressed Palestinian boy, suggesting that the boy’s suffering made him imagine extreme violence towards Jews. He went on to contrast this anger with moments of sympathy towards an elderly Jewish man, but concluded with violent wishes.
The conflict began with Hamas’s brutal attack on Israel on October 7, which resulted in significant casualties and hostages. Israel then launched a military response targeting Hamas in Gaza.
The Gaza health ministry reports that over 39,000 people have been killed, though this figure isn’t broken down by civilians or fighters. Israel claims it has killed around 15,000 combatants and about 1,000 terrorists in response to the attack. The IDF maintains that it tries to limit civilian casualties and blames Hamas for using civilians as human shields.
The war has spurred global criticism and increased antisemitic incidents across Europe. The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights has noted a 400% rise in antisemitic acts.
Rabbi Menachem Margolin from the European Jewish Association criticized Brusselmans for promoting violence against Jews under the guise of satire. The EJA is suing Brusselmans for “incitement to murder” and is calling for his removal from *Humo*.
Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt also condemned Brusselmans and *Humo* for fostering a dangerous environment.
Brusselmans has dismissed the accusations as “crazy,” insisting that his comments were meant metaphorically to express anger over violence against loved ones. His editors defended the column as satire, but Unia, a Belgian anti-discrimination group, has joined the EJA in condemning his remarks as antisemitic.
