Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt apologized for his country’s deportation of Jews to Nazi death camps during World War II. “Only by recognizing the responsibility of the authorities at the time can we build a future where this will never happen again,” he said, according to The Associated Press. His comments were made to Jewish community officials and government leaders at the unveiling of a plaque recognizing Belgians who helped Jews during the Holocaust. The government has just released “Submissive Belgium,” a report that shows how high-ranking Belgian officials and municipalities collaborated with the Nazis in the deportation of Jews. “We have to remember that a big number of official people everywhere in Europe in the public administration have collaborated, have worked together with the Nazi regime in the deportation of Jewish people,” Verhofstadt told the AP. “We have to recognize that and say sorry. Otherwise it is impossible to go forward.”
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