"Spat in My Face": Daughter of Auschwitz Survivor Denied Belgian Passport

A significant diplomatic row has erupted between Israel and Belgium after the Belgian Consulate General in Jerusalem refused to renew the passport of a Belgian Israeli citizen. Annabel Herziger Tanzer, who resides in the Pisgat Ze’ev neighborhood of Jerusalem, was informed by email that her residence in what the consulate termed a "colony" prevents her from being registered in their consular records. This marks the first time such a policy has been applied to a resident of this specific area.

Annabel is the daughter of Sam Herziger, a renowned artist and survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp whose works are held in prestigious museums in Antwerp. For years, she had renewed her Belgian documents without issue, but the recent shift in policy from Brussels has left her feeling like a second class citizen. She expressed deep hurt over the decision, noting that it felt like a betrayal of her dual identity and heritage.

The consulate’s email stated that because Pisgat Ze’ev is not recognized under international law, Belgium is bound to refuse registration at that address. This policy shift follows the Belgian government’s commitment in late 2025 to move toward the recognition of a Palestinian state. For Annabel, the decision carries a heavy historical weight, reminding her of the trauma her father faced as a victim of state sanctioned exclusion.

In an emotional interview, she questioned why her background and her contributions to the Israel Belgium Friendship Association were ignored. She argued that if her last name had been different or if she were not Jewish, she likely would not have faced such a refusal. "It brings up trauma for me as the second generation of Holocaust survivors," she said, adding that she no longer feels the same pride in her Belgian citizenship.

Her husband, Alex Tanzer, has taken the matter to the highest levels of the Israeli government, sending an urgent letter to Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. He has called for the immediate reprimand of the Belgian ambassador, accusing the country of practicing a form of "selection" between different types of citizens. The Tanzers are demanding that the State of Israel protect the rights of its citizens against what they view as discriminatory foreign policies.

The Belgian Foreign Ministry in Brussels has defended the move, citing its adherence to international legal standards regarding territories occupied since 1967. However, the decision has sparked a wider debate about the role of consular services in geopolitical disputes. As the case gains attention, it serves as a stark example of how international diplomatic shifts are directly impacting the personal lives of long term residents in Jerusalem.