Don’t you just love it when our own government ministers unwittingly provide fodder for the media herd? Now, don’t get me wrong – I actually find nothing wrong with what he said.
Israeli minister: Belgians who continue to eat chocolate, enjoy life can't fight terror: Intellig… https://t.co/hXvo9PPFLy JPost-Israel
— Jewish Community (@JComm_NewsFeeds) March 23, 2016
Transportation Minister (and Intelligence Minister) Yisrael Katz was being literary when he suggested that the Belgian government has been more interested in eating chocolate and living the good life than in keeping appraised of the terrorism threat within its (currently unmarked) borders. It was a figure of speech for goodness sake! And the opposition in Israel condemned the remark as if he had shot an arrow through the hearts of each and every Belgian citizen.
(Translation of Shelly Yehicmovich’s tweet: “In short, the government has found a way to reduce terror: stop eating chocolate. The red heifer will be slaughtered.”)
You used metaphor, yourself, Shelly. Yet you refuse to see the meaning of what Katz said and, seeming to take him literally for some absurd reason, you soundly scold him as if he is a child.
The social media outside of Israel also rejoiced in denouncing Katz:
Adding to list of dumb things blamed for Brussels attack -Israeli minister blames chocolate. https://t.co/urnkVjXthe pic.twitter.com/3TkFQXTt7z
— Felicity Morse (@FelicityMorse) March 23, 2016
https://twitter.com/catlover1943/status/712879711039459330
Why is it so hard to understand what Katz meant? More accurately – why do people pretend not to understand what he meant?
I don’t think anyone can say that Belgium had done its best to prevent the tragedy we saw hit Brussels. The government had had intelligence information from Turkey and probably from other sources as well. I think the Belgian people have a bit more to be concerned with than the way Katz pointed out the nonchalance shown by their government toward the ticking bombs in their country. I hope they pressure their elected officials into clamping down and making sure intelligence warnings are heeded in future. Regardless of how much wonderful smooth creamy Belgian chocolate anyone eats.
Israeli minister says Belgian government should eat less chocolate Katz criticizes Belgium for not heeding intelligence re terror threat
Last modified: December 11, 2025
