Circumcision has been maintained by both these faiths for thousands of years. It is a vital part of their belief systems. For the Jews, it originates from Genesis, when God states: "And ye shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of a covenant betwixt Me and you." In Islam, the Prophet Muhammad declared in the Sunnah that circumcision is a "law for men and a preservation of honour for women".

The freedom of parents to raise children in their religious faith has been grossly violated by the council's resolution. Some 1.43 million Jews and 19 million Muslims live within the EU. Why should they be stopped from bringing up their children within their religious tradition if no harm exists from such a procedure? Indeed, millions of non-Jewish and non-Muslim boys are circumcised for health reasons. The council's resolution has echoes of a dark and bloody history.