EUROPEAN JEWISH CHIEF WARMLY WELCOMES COUNCIL DECLARATION ON ANTI-SEMITISM BUT SAYS TWO VITAL PIECES ARE MISSING
Brussels 6 December 2018. The Chairman of the European Jewish Association (EJA) today welcomed the Council of the European Union unanimous adoption of a declaration in the fight against anti-Semitism as a significant step forward, but said that the document misses two key points and arguably the two most important factors affecting anti-Semitism – ongoing efforts to curb Freedom of Religion and practice, and anti-Zionism as typified by the BDS movement.
Urging Europe’s leaders to sign up to the “Jewish red lines” ratified by the members of the European Jewish Association at their conference in Brussels in November, Rabbi Menachem Margolin, whose EJA represents thousands of Jews across Europe and is headquartered in the Belgian capital, said in a a statement:
“The EJA can only welcome the declaration and the commitment by the Council of the European Union to fighting anti-Semitism and better protect Jewish Communities and Institutions in Europe. I am particularly grateful to First Vice-President Timmermans, Commision Jourova, and Katharina Von Schnurbein, the EU’s special envoy on combatting anti-Semitism, for their on-going commitment to safeguarding European Jewry. This triumvirate is making a real difference and putting our concerns front and centre across the EU. The European Jewish Association and its many thousands of members and supporters is deeply appreciative of their efforts, and those of the council members who adopted this declaration unanimously.
“There are however, two vital and missing pieces in the declaration, and these two pieces form the root of much of the anti-Semitism felt by Jews in Europe: on-going efforts by some European countries to target Jewish freedom of religion and practice through legislation on circumcision and religious slaughter for instance, and Anti-Zionism typified by the BDS movement.
Taken together, and notably absent from the declaration, they represent to European Jewry the touch-paper issues of anti-Semitism, attacks on Jews and their communities, and their way of life.
“Therefore, it is clear to me as Chairman of the European Jewish Association, that any declaration on tackling and fighting anti-Semitism that doesn’t include these two key factors is a declaration that can never be a complete declaration when it comes to tackling anti-Semitism properly and meaningfully.”
Additional Articles
UK Labour to suspend Jeremy Corbyn following antisemitism report
Welcoming the expulsion of Jeremy Corbyn from the British Labour Party today, Our Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin said “we at the EJA congratulate the Labour Party leadership for their decision to suspend former leader Jeremy Corbyn who actively enabled a culture of rabid antisemitism and anti-Zionism to spread under his tenure. Let his suspension act as a catalyst to any mainstream political party in Europe that harbour antisemites in their midst. The British Labour Party is a case in point for what not to do when antisemites gain a foothold, allowing a culture of deceit and denial to grow and grow…
Read More
Motion calling to ban ‘from the river to the sea’ slogan adopted in Dutch parliament
Dutch MP Diederik Van Dijk filed the motion because since the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas, “there has been a chilling increase in anti-Semitic incidents in the Netherlands. ””The context of the slogan “from the river to the sea” comes directly from the Hamas charter,” according to the SGP member.The controversial slogan “from the river to the sea”, which is often heard in pro-Palestinian rallies across Europe and elsewhere, must be placed in an anti-Semitic context at demonstrations, making it possible to take action against it. A motion calling for a ban of the slogan was adopted in the Dutch House of Representatives. The motion was initiated by the Dutch Christian Reformed Political party SGP.“More tools for police to tackle anti-Semitic slogans at demonstrations,” rejoiced SGP MP Diederik Van Dijk after his motion was adopted by a parliamentary majority. “No Hamas ranting in our streets or stations.” His motion was suppoirted by several parties.Van Dijk filed the motion because since the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas, “there has been a chilling increase in anti-Semitic incidents in the Netherlands. The context of the slogan “from the river to the sea” comes directly from the Hamas charter, according to the SGP member.The slogan calls for exepelling the Jews from Israel, the annihilation of the state of Israel and for the extermination of all Jews worldwide.The SGP MP sees little action being taken against the controversial phrase to date. He asked the outgoing cabinet (there is no government in Netherlands yet) to follow the example of Germany and Austria to place the chanting of the slogan at demonstrations in anti-Semitic context and to include it in the so-called action perspective, so that police and prosecutors can actually take action.By Yossi Lempkowicz
Bootcamp in Madrid - Day 1
This afternoon the EJA, and our partners the ECJS and Concert started our latest 3 day ‘bootcamp’ in Madrid for young activists from all over Europe. Respected Arab Israeli journalistic Khaled Abu Toameh kicked off proceedings with an engaging opening session on normalisation, followed by a lengthy q&a session and discussion for participants, later for dinner we were proud to have a visit from the president of the Madrid Jewish community, Mrs Estrella Bengio who welcomed us warmly to her city and gave us all a great motivational speech about all working together for the betterment of European Jewry and the state of Israel.
