A cure for jihad

This week began with a march of millions in Paris and in the streets of France. Millions of people carried signs bearing the most famous slogan in the world right now: "Je suis Charlie." This week is ending with protests against "Charlie" in Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Egypt and Mauritania. And in Belgium, the police conducted a raid on several terrorist cells. What began at the Charlie Hebdo offices on Jan. 7 is far from over. Jihad has been in Europe for a long time, and Europe understands that it must react.

In the city of Verviers in eastern Belgium, only 30 kilometers (19 miles) from Liege, Muslim extremists have set up shop. This is nothing new: Belgians who returned from Syria and Iraq settled in the city. The recent attacks in Paris seem to have made it clear to the Belgians that it is worthwhile to react and carry out a raid. The police operations conducted Thursday in Verviers, as well as in three parts of Brussels, were a type of pre-emptive strike.

Last year, Brussels suffered a terrorist attack at the Jewish Museum that left four people dead. The raids on Thursday were conducted to prevent any more attacks.

This week in Paris, I saw a Jewish community in shock, with many afraid to go to a kosher butcher shop. Last Friday, I prayed the evening prayer at a private home in Paris, because people were afraid to go to synagogue and had even been advised by the authorities to keep it closed. This week, we heard that French soldiers would be guarding Jewish schools.

Jihad is a malignant infectious disease that is spreading globally. What began in Paris is ending in Belgium. On Thursday, Jewish friends of mine in Brussels told me on the phone that they are scared to send their children to Jewish school.

Perhaps now Europe understands just how dangerous jihad is, a disease that did not need a visa to get in.

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