Jews make up just 0.3 percent of Belgium's population, yet that is apparently enough to make them a preferred target for terror attacks. The first time was during the Passover holiday in 1979, when three Palestinian terrorists attacked Brussels International Airport. The most recent was Saturday afternoon at the Brussels Jewish Museum. Between these two horrifying attacks, there were several more, and there are concerns that Saturday's attack may not be the last one. Belgium specifically, and Europe in general, has turned (yet again) into a place that is not safe for Jews. Belgium -- and along with it, all of Europe -- must do some soul searching to figure out how anti-Semitism has been allowed to flourish once again on the same continent where, 70 years ago, one of the most appalling crimes in the history of humanity took place. Whether in the name of radical Islam or in the name of the sickening extreme Right, both are abominations. The Jew finds himself between a rock and a hard place. It is wonderful that Israel exists -- but Israel is also the reason for all this. Today, anti-Zionism lends legitimacy to modern anti-Semitism. This is not new. This phenomenon gained traction during the Second Intifada from 2000 to 2004. Saturday's attack in Brussels, and later that day, the beatings of two religious Jews on the way from synagogue in a Paris suburb, serve as another reminder that visiting a Jewish site -- museum or synagogue -- is a dangerous thing to do. This is terrible. In 2013, there were 88 official complaints of anti-Semitic incidents in Belgium. This marks a rise since 2011 (62 incidents) and 2010 (57 incidents). And this is a country which, at the end of the day, is home to only some 42,000 Jews. Just think about all the incidents that went unreported. In France, where the Jewish community is much larger, there are many more anti-Semitic incidents. In 2012, 614 anti-Semitic incidents were reported, compared with 389 a year earlier. In France, anti-Semitism is also on the rise. We should not be surprised that we hear so much French being spoken in Israel. In recent years, Belgium has become very critical of Israel. Not much different than the majority of European Union countries. Israel is seen as the aggressor, the occupier, the oppressor. European media is also unbalanced in its reporting of the conflict. Israel? An "apartheid state." Has anyone bothered to check how our enemies are taken care of in Israeli hospitals- Mohammed Merah, the French-Algerian terrorist who murdered three Jewish children and a teacher at Ozar Hatorah Jewish day school in Toulouse in 2012, was turned into a hero and only spurred further anti-Semitic acts. For the young Europeans returning from jihad, once from Afghanistan and now from Syria, Merah is a hero and Jews are the target. The governments of Europe must wake up. The Muslim communities on the continent are only growing. Not all Muslims are violent. The vast majority simply want to earn a living and to educate their children. But what can be done when within those communities, a new Merah arises every day? Perhaps one of them is responsible for the murders in Belgium. The attacker in Brussels even stopped, as coldly calculated as Merah, to ensure his victims were dead. God forbid a Jew remain alive. A few years ago, a book called "Est-il Permis de Critiquer Israel-" -- "Is it Permitted to Criticize Israel-" -- was published in France. Of course it is permitted. But no one is ensuring that the criticism is balanced. The governments of Europe must wake up: Unrestrained criticism of Israel carries with it a price. A hefty price. Yes, it is tempting to keep the large Muslim community happy, but this is not the place for electoral considerations. Anti-Semitism has always existed and will continue to exist. Only the reasons for it change. Right now, the reason is Israel. The governments of Europe must fight back against this phenomenon, not add fuel to the fire. The representation of Israel as the devil has come back to Europe like a boomerang, but the true devil lives among them.
