Belgium summoned the U.S. ambassador on Tuesday after he accused the country of antisemitic prosecution tied to an investigation involving members of the Jewish community in Antwerp.

Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said labeling Belgium as antisemitic was “dangerous disinformation” and defended the country’s institutions and judicial independence. “An ambassador accredited to Belgium has a responsibility to respect our institutions, our elected representatives, and the independence of our judicial system,” Prevot wrote on X. He added that personal attacks against a Belgian minister and interference in judicial matters violate diplomatic norms.

The dispute centers on an investigation into whether three men in Antwerp were performing circumcisions without certified medical training, according to Belgian national broadcaster VRT. Belgian law requires circumcisions to be performed by licensed doctors.

U.S. Ambassador Bill White publicly criticized the investigation, calling it “unacceptable harassment of the Jewish community here in Antwerp and in Belgium.” In a series of posts on X, White said antisemitism must be rooted out and urged Belgian authorities to allow Jewish religious mohels, officiants trained in ritual circumcision, to carry out their duties.

White also criticized Belgian Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke, claiming the minister declined to shake his hand during an earlier meeting and suggesting Belgian officials were not adequately supporting religious freedoms. He tagged President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance in his remarks and called for immediate action.

Despite the sharp public exchange, White later told The New York Times that he does not believe Belgium is antisemitic and described his meeting with the foreign ministry as “very nice.” He said he did not apologize for his comments and stood by his position.

The incident marks a rare diplomatic disagreement between the United States and Belgium, long-standing NATO allies, and highlights tensions between national health regulations and religious practices within European legal systems.