Belgian defense minister posts ‘Am Yisrael Chai’ on Oct 7 anniversary despite government’s anti-Israel stance

Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken showed his support for Israel on social media last week while marking the third anniversary of the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, posting “Am Yisrael Chai” (“The people of Israel live”) alongside two blue-and-white hearts representing the Israeli flag. Francken published the message at 6:29 a.m., the same time the Hamas-led attack began three years earlier.

Francken’s show of support comes amid strained relations between Brussels and Jerusalem, as the Belgian government has emerged as one of Israel’s sharpest critics in Europe since Oct. 7. In January, Belgium moved to restrict arms exports to Israel amid opposition to its military operations against the Iranian-backed network of Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. The move was largely symbolic, as arms trade between the two countries is limited. Belgium also moved to restrict services provided to Belgian nationals residing in Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, known internationally as the West Bank.

At the same time, Belgium has taken steps to address concerns over antisemitism within the country. In February, it began deploying military troops to protect Jewish sites amid rising concerns over violent antisemitic incidents.

“The safety of every citizen must be guaranteed,” Francken stated at the time, emphasizing that “antisemitism and hatred against Jews will never be tolerated.”

Francken has repeatedly criticized Belgian policies toward Israel, describing them as unfair and hostile toward a democratic country. In November 2023, just a month after the Oct. 7 attack, he criticized the previous Belgian government for refusing to designate Hamas as a terrorist organization. He has also opposed boycotts of Israel.

In June 2025, during the Israel-Iran war, Francken told the Middle Eastern news outlet Al Arabiya that he believed Israel should remain the only country in the Middle East with nuclear weapons, citing the security threat posed by Iran to the Western world.

Francken is not the only senior Belgian official to express support for Israel despite the tense diplomatic ties between Brussels and Jerusalem.

Belgian coalition leader Georges-Louis Bouchez has voiced support for Israel and its right to defend itself against Iranian-backed threats on multiple fronts. Bouchez has also expressed support for Belgium’s Jewish community.

There have also been efforts to improve bilateral relations between Belgium and Israel. Last week, Israel’s new ambassador to Belgium, David Saranga, presented his credentials to King Philippe of Belgium.

“On the day we commemorate the October 7 massacre, I will present my credentials to the king of Belgium as Israel's ambassador. I will enter the palace carrying the memory of those murdered and our determination to live, create and prosper. Our enemies murdered our people. They did not break our spirit,” Saranga stated on social media.

Saranga has also sought to reach Belgian audiences through several AI-generated videos in French, Flemish and Arabic. The new Israeli envoy called for improved relations with Belgium and urged an end to boycotts of Israel. He also addressed the threat of radical Islam to Israel, Europe and moderate Muslims.

As part of that message, Saranga called for dialogue with moderate Muslim communities in Belgium and across the West.

"Many in Europe already recognize the threat posed by radical Islamist organizations. These terrorist networks have existed on European soil for years, some active and others dormant. As democratic countries that cherish freedom and life, we have a responsibility to confront this challenge," the Israeli ambassador argued.