Belgium and Italy deploy soldiers to help protect Jewish sites as Iran war fuels surge of antisemitism

Rome — Outside the Great Synagogue, in the narrow streets of Rome’s historic Jewish quarter, Italian soldiers patrol with automatic weapons slung across their chests. It is part of a visible surge in security following a wave of antisemitic incidents across Europe.

One of those soldiers told CBS News the heightened presence came after recent attacks on Jewish sites, including an explosion at a synagogue in Liège, Belgium, last week. The blast caused damage but no injuries, but it was enough to prompt the Belgian government to announce it was deploying military forces to help protect Jewish institutions nationwide.

The soldier in Rome said fewer people were visiting the Jewish neighborhood recently, wary of a repeat of the kind of antisemitic violence seen in Liège and elsewhere in Europe.

Authorities across Europe have reported a rise in antisemitic incidents since the Iran war began, including attacks and threats against Jewish communities in Amsterdam and Rotterdam in the Netherlands. 

In France, officials said they foiled a suspected terror plot aimed at Jewish targets.

Antisemitism has been on the rise globally since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel, and the war Israel launched on Gaza in response. Israel and the U.S.’s decision to attack Iran again  appears to have reignited antisemitic hatred worldwide.

With Israel directly involved in the widening conflict, Jewish leaders and national security officials in Europe warn the risk of retaliatory or copycat attacks may be increasing again.

Belgium’s decision to deploy soldiers marks an escalation in the response by at least one European government.

Following the attack in Liège, Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin called the move necessary and urgent.

“Against a backdrop of rising antisemitism, the attack that took place at the synagogue in Liège served as a stark reminder that the threat facing Belgium’s Jewish community is very real,” he said. “Ensuring the safety of our fellow citizens is the responsibility of the state in all its forms, regardless of any other political considerations. The deployment of military personnel to reinforce security around Jewish sites will provide direct support to the police.”

Belgian officials say the soldiers will assist law enforcement in guarding synagogues, schools, and community centers, particularly in cities with large Jewish populations such as Brussels and Antwerp, providing both deterrence and rapid response capabilities.