Belgian politician refuses Jewish new year greetings citing Mideast tensions

Belgian politician refuses Jewish new year greetings citing Mideast tensions

The nearly century-old tradition of Belgium's Jewish community requesting holiday greetings from government leaders met an unprecedented end when Flanders Provincial President Matthias Diependaele declined their customary New Year blessing request with a series of conflicting justifications that sparked immediate political controversy. The initial rejection letter from Diependaele's cabinet explicitly cited Middle East tensions as grounds for a…