Photo Credit: Amos Ben Gershom / GPO
Belgiian Prime Minister Charles Michel and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at PMO in Jerusalem.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday evening to reprimand Belgian Ambassador to Israel Olivier Belle.

“Israel views with utmost gravity Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel’s meeting today with the leaders of Breaking the Silence and B’Tselem, during his visit to Israel,” said the Prime Minister’s Office in a statement.

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“Initiatives are underway by the Belgian state prosecutor to try senior Israelis including Tzipi Livni and IDF officers. The Belgian government needs to decide whether it wants to change direction or continue with an anti-Israel line.”

Prime Minister Netanyahu directed that legislation be advanced to prevent financing by foreign governments for NGOs that harm IDF soldiers.

During his meeting this week in Jerusalem with PM Michel, Israel’s prime minister called on the Belgian government to cut its support for anti-Israel NGOs.

Netanyahu asked the Belgian leader to stop his government’s indirect and direct support for organizations that “act against IDF soldiers and against the State of Israel, including transferring funds indirectly,” according to a PMO statement.

The Israeli government will issue a formal protest in the wake of the Belgian prime minister’s meeting with the heads of anti-Israel NGOs despite PM Netanyahu’s request.

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Hana Levi Julian is a Middle East news analyst with a degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from Southern Connecticut State University. A past columnist with The Jewish Press and senior editor at Arutz 7, Ms. Julian has written for Babble.com, Chabad.org and other media outlets, in addition to her years working in broadcast journalism.