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Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz at the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on February 24, 2019. Abir Sultan / Pool via REUTERS

Unesco struck a blow against the Belgian carnival in Aalst by removing it from its list of intangible heritage because of the presence of a chariot representing caricatures deemed anti-Jewish.

With our correspondent in Jerusalem, Christian Brunel

This decision was immediately approved at the highest level by the Israeli Minister for Foreign Affairs Israel Katz. It all started from a chariot in which two characters of ultra-Orthodox Jews with hooked noses appear seated on sacks of money during the parade organized since the Middle Ages on the occasion of Ash Wednesday in Aalst.

The mayor of this locality located in Flanders considered that it was a question of humor and that the tanks were " the target of grotesque accusations ". The Israeli government has judged otherwise and decided not to take this case lightly.

“ In the 21st century, anti-Semitism is trying to raise its horrible head. We expect the Belgian government to clearly and clearly express its opposition to such a manifestation of anti-Semitism, "said Israel Katz. He added that Unesco's decision was going in the right direction.