Antisemitism Requires a United Front – More Definitions Won’t Help

September 11, 2024

The ongoing debate about antisemitism and the lack of action against antisemitic attacks clearly shows that we need a united front in the fight against this hatred. Many organizations and actors are trying, with good intentions, to create new definitions of antisemitism to better describe the current situation. However, instead of helping, these initiatives risk dividing, delaying, and ultimately making it even harder to move forward.

The antisemitic attacks we see today often aim to criticize Israel for the situation in Gaza. And it is, of course, terrible. But even if we have different opinions about the conflict and its causes, we should all agree that regardless of what one thinks about the situation in Gaza, it is unacceptable that Swedish Jews feel threatened and unsafe here because people are angry at another country.

The IHRA definition of antisemitism, which Sweden adopted under Stefan Löfven’s government, is the most recognized and widely used internationally. It provides clear guidance on when criticism of the State of Israel crosses the line into antisemitic attacks against Jews. Adhering to this definition is crucial for effectively identifying and combating antisemitism.

In times of populism, where simple solutions to complex problems are often sought, it is even more important to stand firm on principles such as a common definition of antisemitism. Creating new definitions, even if the intentions are good, complicates the work against the hatred directed at Jews today. It causes us to remain stagnant rather than unite and take strong action against the rising antisemitism.

To move forward, we must work together based on a common definition – and the IHRA definition is our strongest tool in this fight.

Released in https://fores.se/tisdagsklubben/

By David Lega

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Israel welcomes launch of maritime corridor from Cyprus to Gaza Strip

“We are now very close to opening this corridor, hopefully this Saturday-Sunday and I’m very glad to see an initial pilot will be launched today,” said European Commission Ursula von der Leyen a visit to Cyprus where she met Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.

Israel on Friday welcomed the inauguration of a maritime corridor from Cyprus to the Gaza Strip.

‘’The Cypriot initiative will allow the increase of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, after security checks are carried out in accordance with Israeli standards,’’ a satement from the Israeli foreign mionistry said.

‘’Israel will continue to facilitate the transfer of humanitarian aid to the residents of the Gaza Strip in accordance with the rules of war and in coordination with the United States and our allies around the world.’’

The statement added that Israel ‘’will continue the fight against Hamas — an organization that calls for the destruction of the State of Israel and carried out the 7 October massacre — until its elimination and the return of all the hostages.’’

‘’It is very important that additional countries join the Cypriot initiative and the international effort to transfer aid,’’ the foreign ministry said.

On the same day, the European Commission, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, the Republic of Cyprus, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States announce their intent to open a maritime corridor ‘’to deliver much-needed additional amounts of humanitarian assistance by sea.’’

‘’The humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire, with innocent Palestinian families and children desperate for basic necessities,’’ they said in a joint statement.

“We are launching this Cyprus maritime corridor together, the European Union, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States,” Von der Leyen said after a visit to facilities in Cyprus.

“We are now very close to opening this corridor, hopefully this Saturday-Sunday and I’m very glad to see an initial pilot will be launched today,” said European Commission Ursula von der Leyen a visit to Cyprus where she met Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.

“The maritime corridor can make a real difference to the plight of the Palestinian people, but in parallel, our efforts to provide humanitarian assistance through all possible routes will continue,” she said in a joint press conference in Larnaca.

The sea corridor is due to formally open this weekend, with a first pilot operation to leave either on Satrday or Sunday, when the right conditions are in place.

It comes just hours after US. President Biden announced in his annual State of the Union speech that the US will set up a port on the Gaza coast to ramp up the delivery of lifesaving aid.

ARUTZ 7

European leaders declare war on antisemitic fake news

Over 100 members of parliament, government officials, ambassadors and European Jewish leaders, gathered in Prague and in the Theresienstadt camp on the eve of International Holocaust Remembrance Day to discuss ways of dealing with fake news and conspiracy theories against Jews in the media, social networks and the rising Anti-Semitism in Universities across the continent.

The Theresienstadt concentration camp was “marketed” by the Nazis as a “Jewish settlement” and an “enlightened” ghetto, but the historical facts prove that in complete contrast to ‘Fake News’ About 120,000 of the 160,000 Jews who were interned there perished in the Holocaust, including about 14,000 children. Some were sent to the gas chambers in Auschwitz, many died of starvation.

According to EJA Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin:” Even today, fake news poses a tangible danger to the well-being of Jews throughout Europe, a tool of hatred that is unfortunately strengthened by social networks and mixes conspiracy theories against Jews. The dozens of European leaders who responded to our call to come to Terezin pledged to fight against fake news that encourages anti-Semitism and implement educational programs to eradicate it.”

 

During the conference and the tour, the European elected officials heard the personal testimony of Gideon Lev, a Holocaust survivor from the Theresienstadt camp, who in recent years has become a “TikTok star” who fights against anti-Semitism: When the Nazis took over the Czech Republic, it was the end for Jews in the country. Jews couldn’t stay outside at night, couldn’t own radios and soon enough we were all moved to Terezin camp which was called a “Resettlement camp”. But it was far from it. they put us in very crowded barracks, there was no space, wives and children couldn’t see their husbands, unless from windows marching in silence. “Arbeit Macht Frei” Is one of the most cynical Nazi atrocities: you are free when you are dead. The fight against antisemitism and combatting hate against Jews and any other minority is something we can and should all do”.

Later in the conference, a series of members of parliament and Jewish leaders from around the continent discussed the influence of social networks as a catalyst for the adoption of anti-Semitic theories that pose a direct threat to the personal security of European Jews.

Member of the French Parliament and spokeswoman of Renaissance Party (President Macron’s Party), Prisca Thevenot said: “Truth is no longer based on scientific facts but on viral and social medias. Things are going faster. We must fight against false items that are appearing quickly on our phone. Macron was presented himself as a puppet of the Jewish people because he is a former banker and has money. Fake news are using the same tropes against the Jews, time and time again. We must fight against every fake news. If we don’t fight them, they spread and spread very quickly.”

 

MP DAvid Stogmuller from Austria added regarding social media: “We have to understand that social media works extremely fast. It is not enough to make laws to keep up with technological challenges, we must be quick to ban illegal social media hate speech.

 

MP Alexandre Poço from Portugal said emphasized the importance of education: “Although our problems may not be as large as other countries, we still must invest in education. A proactive attitude continues to be necessary. We have strong ties with Jewish communities. We continue to promote Jewish life, although we are a Catholic country. Our country is aware and will not stop working.

Joel Mergui, President of Consistoire de Paris, France stressed to the elected officials and decision makers in the audience: “I have been in charge for twenty years of the biggest Jewish community in Europe. The new Anti-Semitism burst into the open in the early 2000s and resulted in anti-Semitic murders that tainted France and Europe’s recent history. In spite of this tragedy, I have decided to keep going and encouraged my community members to keep living in Europe as long as we have people and decision-makers on our side who fight against anti-Semitism and radical Islamism. It is from your words, from your acts that we will have the certainty of having a future in Europe.”

 

Sigmount Königsberg, Antisemitism Commissioner Jewish Community of Berlin warned:

“If we allow the enemies of democracies to shout, then we risk the end of democracy. Antisemites must be made to feel that they have no chance and that they will be made to pay the consequences.

 

The director of the British organization, ‘Labour Against Antisemitism’, Alex Hearn spoke to the convention regarding how fake news about Jews are a pattern as old as antisemitism itself. Hearn emphasized that antisemitism goes beyond political allegiances and is used by people to gain power or feel more powerful. He also spoke about the contemporary, all-encompassing antisemitic conspiracy theory and the role of social media

 

The conference participants were shocked by the testimonies of Jewish students from the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy and Spain who reported about great ignorance among their fellow students regarding Jewish matters (many of them have never met a Jew before) and some even said that they have to deal with anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli hate speech in universities across the continent and the unresponsiveness of the heads of the universities to come out against this phenomena.

Rabbi Margolin awarded the prestigious ‘King David Award’ to Amanda Rajkumar, Executive Board Member for Global Human Resources, People and Culture of ADIDAS for the company’s decision to sever all commercial ties with singer Kanye West following his anti-Semitic statements. Upon receiving the award, Rajkumar stated that: “We have responsibility to influence and take action. The hate speech of our former partner (Kanye West) was unacceptable and although we are not always right, this time we made the right decision. We will continue supporting Jewish communities and stand for love and against all forms of hatred, racism, and discrimination.

 

Anna Azari, Ambassador of Israel to the Czech Republic addressed the conference’s participants and said: “The Czech Republic is the friendliest state to Jews and the State of Israel in Europe. It was the first who helped the state in its war of independence by providing arms and today it is, a leader in helping the Ukrainians and absorbing half a million of refugees.”

ARUTZ 7

COVID Diary- Reflections from Our Advisory Board Member Rabbi Binyomin Jacobs

Every Day during the Corona crisis our Advisory Board Member Chief Rabbi Binyomin Jacobs (NL) writes a diary, on request of the Jewish Cultural Quarter in Amsterdam, which is published on the website of the NIW, the only Jewish Dutch Magazine. Rabbi Jacobs is the head of Inter Governmental Relationships at the Rabbinical Centre of Europe. We will be regularly publishing a selection of his informative, sometimes light hearted, but always wise pieces.
For our Dutch readers you can follow the diary every day at NIW home page: https://niw.nl
Diary 20 Jan. 2021
That such a figure should commemorate my family …….
It is now 23:15 on Wednesday. I just got home. Gave a lecture in Gorinchem. Of course without a visible audience, but in a professional studio and several hundred who were watching at home and many thousands of them are expected to watch the broadcast at a later date. I am used to it by now. If I can immediately speak to visible people again, it will take some getting used to giving a lecture to real listeners.
A lecture with a 15-minute break with tea in the middle. Audience that can just see me in real life and I can look at those present. Now you should know that I used to read from the faces whether I needed to dig deeper into the matter, whether it was time for a parable or a joke to keep people on their toes.
Since I am now starting to realize that we can hardly go outside at the end of this week (good for my health? Not so much.) Today I did my fast walk of one hour instead of the usual 25 minutes.
In the meantime, the condolences keep coming in by e-mail (Chief Rabbi Jacobs recently lost his son – Editor), on facebook (so I was told, because I don’t get on facebook myself) and the phone hardly stops ringing. So many warm and beautiful words.
Also an email advising me to repent. Well-intentioned, but I firmly rejected the proposal without any consideration. Should the author of that lengthy e-mail read this diary, she will hear that I was not charmed by her attempt at conversion, nor did I bother to respond to her e-mail.
Conversion is a loaded topic for us Jews that are still alive. “But”, I hear you think, “you are so good with the Christians for Israel, aren’t you?” Dear people, they do not seek to convert! I know their motives, I know their background, I am aware of their statutes and I am in almost daily contact with them. Together we fight for Israel and against anti-Zionism. To convert? They have many fellow believers who strongly disapprove of their pro-Israel action and point out their flaw that they do not serve as missionaries amongst Jews. But they do try and convert, but of a very different kind. They are trying to convert the churches to change their anti-Israel stance to a pro-Israel approach!
Why am I raising that now? Not because of that dorky letter from that lady, but because the Jewish Agency has stopped working with a Canadian Christian organization called Return Ministries because of a rumour that they are trying to convert people. The president of that organization is a Messianic Jew. And although every person is responsible for himself and is allowed to do what he cannot resist, this is disturbing.
A Messianic Jew who wants to bring Jews to Israel? Who himself has thrown his Judaism overboard? For me a contradiction interminis! And so, I fully understand the Jewish Agency.
And while that lady tries to swindle me away from Judaism, I read today in the authoritative British daily the Guardian that a recent survey shows that many British Jews are afraid to show signs of their religion, such as wearing a kippah or a Star of David in public. Rising anti-Semitism, which is increasingly becoming the “normal”! Let that converting lady spend her time on that and leave me alone. Linking this conversion attempt to the death of our son is unsavoury to say the least.
In the meantime, the sheer number of statements of support resulting from my diary shows that I have built up a wide readership. Apparently, I’m not the only one who knows that.
Because, and now it comes, today I have been approached from four different sides with the request to pay attention in my diary to the choice of the speaker at the annual National Remembrance Day on May 4. The Committee for 4 and 5 May actually chose a figure who has made anti-Semitic remarks on various occasions. The Jewish Telegraph Association (JTA), which is generally well-informed and meticulous, has devoted an entire article to it, and the statements the speaker is said to have made do not lie. I am sure that this week’s NAV will also pay substantial attention to it.
It is incomprehensible that this Abdelkader Benali, who has nothing to do with the 1940s and 45s, will speak at the same commemoration where last year our King Willem Alexander brilliantly expressed exactly what the especially Jewish Netherlands had been waiting for, for so long. What an encouragement that was! And now this figure comes…? I don’t get it, I feel like May 4 is being taken away from me, but I hope I misunderstood everything, that the JTA was misinformed and the various quotes emails that are far from Jew-friendly just on a misunderstanding and were never expressed.
But in the unlikely event that everything is right: That such a figure should commemorate my family … this I just don’t understand.

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