Denmark deploys army to protect synagogues and Israeli embassy

Danish justice minister warns of ‘serious’ terrorist threat against Jewish targets as war between Israel and Hamas continues.

By World Israel News Staff

The Danish government has ordered the military to bolster efforts by local police to secure Israel’s embassy in Copenhagen and synagogues amid a sharp spike in antisemitism around the world.

Denmark’s Defense Minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, and Justice Minister Peter Hummel Gaard warned Saturday of a “serious” terrorist threat to Jewish targets.

“The terrorist threat against Denmark is serious,” Hummelgaard said.

“And the conflict in the Middle East has led to a completely unacceptable rise in anti-Semitism and more uncertainty among Jews in Denmark.”

In a statement Saturday evening, Poulsen said soldiers will be deployed to protect “Jewish and Israeli locations in Copenhagen,” in order to ease the burden on police.

“The situation in Israel and Gaza is taking a big toll on the police’s resources. Against this background, among other things, it has been decided that the Armed Forces will support the guarding of Jewish and Israeli locations in Copenhagen.”

There are an estimated 7,000 Jews living in Denmark, or less than 0.12% of the country’s total population of 5.9 million.

Denmark’s Muslim population is estimated at a quarter of a million.

” We have a skilled police force that goes to work every day to ensure our safety,” Hummelgaard added.

“But the police have recently been under pressure. I am happy that we are now relieving the police of the fact that the Armed Forces are resuming support for the police’s guarding of locations in Copenhagen. It will free up more hands for other important police tasks”