Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
"Ten years ago, on March 22, 2016, Brussels, our shared home, was attacked in a way that will never be forgotten." With these words, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, began the statement issued on this occasion, adding: “That morning, 32 people set off on their usual journeys, heading to work or catching flights. They never returned home. Today, we stand in a moment of silence to remember the victims of that senseless and heinous act of terrorism. We remember them, and their loved ones, who continue to suffer from a tragedy that time will not heal. When Brussels was attacked, the very heart of Europe was targeted. It was an attack on our values: freedom, peace, and tolerance. The values ​​that define our Union, and which we are determined to protect. That is why, ten years ago, Europe rose up and stood as one, in solidarity with Belgium. Across the continent, city lights were lit in black, yellow, and red. Crowds gathered in the streets, lighting candles in remembrance. Over the past ten years, we have strengthened our resolve and deepened our cooperation in the fight against terrorism. We have worked We are striving to prevent a recurrence of such atrocities. We now have a stronger legal framework, closer operational cooperation across borders, and have taken decisive action against extremism, both online and on the ground.

Today, as in 2016, we stand united. We stand with Belgium.

We are in solidarity with Belgium.

In the Brussels Parliament, MP Bob De Brabandere, from the far-right Vlaams Belang party, questioned Brussels Prime Minister Boris Delies (of the Reform Movement party) about the Brussels government's plans to combat Islamist extremism. Delies evaded the question and did not answer, leading De Brabandere to conclude that there were no plans at all. De Brabandere says: "The coalition agreement doesn't include anything about combating Islamic extremism, and when I ask about it, the Prime Minister doesn't answer either. So it remains just a matter of fighting the symptoms, when a problem arises, as is the case now with the war in Iran. This reminds me of the old motto for Brussels' problems: ignore it. And so, trivial matters become public issues. Even ten years after the attacks, Islamic extremism will continue to take root in Brussels." According to a statement issued by the far-right party and distributed in Brussels, "Islamic extremism has never disappeared from Brussels. Just days ago, we read in the press that some residents of Molenbeek were planning to hold a memorial service for the late Iranian extremist cleric Ayatollah Khamenei. A recent Ipsos poll also revealed the prevalence of anti-Semitism in Brussels, particularly among Muslims. In recent years, it has become clear on numerous occasions that Islamic extremism remains deeply entrenched in Brussels. For example, book launches and other events—including the presentation of a book on the impact of Islamic extremism on French-language education—were canceled due to threats from Islamist groups. The issue of Islamic extremism in Belgium, and Brussels in particular, has also garnered increasing international attention. For example, Le Figaro, France's second-largest newspaper, referred to it as 'Belgianstan.' 'Islamic extremism will continue to infiltrate Brussels.' 'Abroad, people see the problems, but in Brussels, they ignore them.'" The coalition agreement made no mention of this serious issue, so, as we commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Brussels attacks next week, I asked Deles about his plans to combat Islamic extremism. His response? He ignored the question,” says Bob De Brabandere. “So, the coalition agreement contains nothing about combating Islamic extremism, and when I ask about it, the Prime Minister makes no statement whatsoever. Consequently, it remains a matter of merely treating the symptoms whenever a problem arises abroad, such as the current war in Iran. This reminds me of the old mantra for Brussels’ problems: ignore it. Thus, minor incidents become systemic here. Even ten years after the attacks, Islamic extremism will continue to infiltrate Brussels, with no government plan to counter it. Even with the Reform Movement, which seems to do what the Socialist Party wants and remain silent about what the Socialist Party doesn’t,” De Brabandere concludes.