President Von der Leyen at Chanukah celebration in Brussels warns of “old evil resurfacing in Europe,” announces new Jewish heritage award because Jewish culture is a ‘blessing to Europe”.

The European Jewish Association (EJA) learned with deep shock about the ruling of the EU Court of Human Rights against the human rights, freedom of religion and worship of Jews and Muslims.  “The implied determination of the distorted verdict is that the rights of these citizens to freedom of religion and worship are even less than that of animals.”  Says EJA Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin and warned that the severe restrictions on Jews to live according to their faith will lead to serious damage to the fabric of life throughout the continent.  The European Jewish Association calls on the Belgian Government and all other governments and Parliaments throughout the continent to immediately take all the necessary steps in order to change the ruling that discriminates against Jews and Muslims.

In a letter sent to European Heads of States, EJA’s European Leader’s Forum for Combatting Antisemitism headed by The 10th President of the State of Israel, Reuven Rivlin, and including former prominent European Heads of States: Sebastian Kurz, Manuel Valls, Matteo Renzi, Petar Stoyanov, Andrej Babiš, Prokopios Pavlopoulos, Borut Pahor, Milo Đukanović and Stefan Lofven, is calling on governments and parliaments to enact the laws that commit to maintaining the freedom of religion and worship of the continent’s citizens, including kosher and Halal slaughter.

We were honoured to host a special meeting with Ambassador Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism alongside EJA Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin

The meeting was joined by EU ambassadors and diplomats. Ambassador Kaploun shared with our esteemed guests the current situation of antisemitism in Europe and the US, how Jewish communities feel and what they have experienced, and his views on how we can combat antisemitism together. The discussion underscored the importance of addressing the rise of antisemitism collectively. We wish to thank Ambassador Kaploun for this meeting and our guests, Ambassador Avi Nir-Avi Nir-Feldklein, Mission of Israel to the EU & NATO, Ambassador Martin Hojni, Permanent Representation of Austria to the EU , Ambassador Martin Schäfer, Permanent Representation of Germany to the EU,  Ambassador Andrea Orizio, Permanent Representation of Italy to the EU, Ambassador Sofia Grammata, Embassy of the Hellenic Republic to the Kingdom of Belgium,  Ambassador Helen Kaljuläte Embassy of the Republic of Estonia to the Kingdom of Belgium,  for joining us, for caring about combating antisemitism and for raising very important points during the discussion.

The meeting was organized by EJA Director of EU Relations Ruth Daskalopoulou Issac.

Your Excellency Madam President Von Der Leyen,

In response to accusations against European Commissioner for Neighborhood & Enlargement, Mr Várhelyi, and calls for his resignation, we would like to make the following statement.

Following the horrific and inhumane terror attacks against civilians in Israel on 7 October, which shocked the whole world, Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi posted on social media the decision for urgent review of the entire Palestinian development portfolio, on 9 October 2023. Hundreds of innocent women, children and elderly people were killed in terrifying circumstances or taken as hostages.

The Commissioner is accused of “offense to EU’s institutions and their democratic functioning”, by claiming that his “actions undermine not only the image of our institutions, but the trust that EU citizens put in the Commission”. Whilst, in fact, his actions are the ones defending and protecting both our fundamental values and moral compass, and also vis-a-vis trust by EU citizens.

Antisemitic attacks and calls to harm Jewish people have risen by 1200% here in Europe and both national governments and EU institutions have to take action. These are staggering and deeply distressing numbers.

The announcement by Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi was particularly welcomed by all our communities, as he very correctly stated “there can be no business as usual”. “The scale of terror and brutality… is a turning point” and it has to be.

Germany review of Palestinian development aid

On 8 October, German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, H.E. Ms Svenja Schulze, announced that the “attacks on Israel mark a terrible fracture”. “We will now review our entire engagement for the Palestinian territories.”

Austria development aid suspended

On the 9th of October, prior to the Commissioner’s post, the Austrian Minister for Foreign

Affairs, H.E. Mr Alexander Schallenberg announced that “We will put all payments of Austrian development cooperation on hold” and sharply criticised states that refuse to classify Hamas as a terrorist organisation.

Sweden’s aid to Palestine suspended

On 10 October, Sweden Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, H.E. Mr Johan Forssell, stated, “We have a new situation after the 7th of October”. “Our decision today is that Sweden will … pause development aid to Palestine until further notice.”

Denmark development aid on hold

The same day, Denmark Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy, H.E.

Mr Dan Jørgensen, confirmed that Danish development assistance to Palestine will be placed “on hold”. “Unacceptable acts, terrorism and aggression of the worst kind have happened, and we must be naturally be very sure that Danish money is not indirectly supporting that”.

The social media post by Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi was made after a truly unprecedented and deadly terrorist massacre. It followed the lead of a number of countries and the strong condemnation of the terror attacks by world leaders. Both national governments and EU institutions share very legitimate concerns as Hamas has turned agricultural and irrigation equipment, which was paid by European funds, into weapons to attack civilians, and used cement that was meant for living quarters to build death tunnels to expand its terror activities.

As Jewish organisations which represent thousands of European citizens, we believe the accusations against Commissioner Várhelyi are politically motivated and display a breathtaking and appalling insensitivity to the horrendous and barbaric loss of human life.

At a truly unprecedented time, when Europe must be united against terrorism, it is nothing less than shameful that there exist those who prefer instead to try and score cheap political points on the graves of the dead and on the hundreds of hostages still in terrorist captivity.

Were a reminder needed of what we are all up against, last night the same type of terrorism struck the heart of Europe in Brussels claiming two utterly innocent lives, this follows, of course, the brutal murder of a teacher in Arras, France.

Commissioner Varheyli enjoys the full and unyielding support of European Jewry for his noble stand, a stand that sadly is possessed by far too few political leaders in the face of atrocity, barbarism and an assault on the very European values that we all hold so dear to our hearts.

Yours sincerely,

Rabbi Menachem Margolin Founder and Chairman European Jewish Association

Joël Mergui Chairman of EJA Jewish Leaders’ Board President of Consistoire of Paris, France President of European Centre of Judaism

Baroness Régine Suchowolski – Sluszny EJA Jewish Leaders’ Board Vice-Chairwoman for Holocaust Remembrance and President of Forum of Jewish Organisations, Belgium

Ellen Van Praagh-van Aspert EJA Jewish Leaders’ Board Vice-Chairwoman for Equity and Diversity, and President of IPOR Jewish Communities, The Netherlands

Andrew Cohen FCA EJA Jewish Leaders’ Board Vice-Chairman for UK President, Federation of Synagogues, UK

Riccardo Pacifici EJA Jewish Leaders’ Board Vice-Chairman for Italy and Jewish Heritage

Alexander Benjamin EJA Jewish Leaders’ Board Vice-Chairman for Advocacy, European Jewish Association

Gabriel Senderowicz Mold EJA Jewish Leaders’ Board Member

EJA Jewish Leaders’ Board Member Chairman of Board of The Social & Cultural Association of Jews in Poland (TSKZ) Portugal

Yaron Zeloof EJA Jewish Leaders’ Board Member President of the Jewish Community of Cyprus

Humo is sold and read in Netherlands and therefore liable say both groups in a statement announcing the legal case.

Humo Magazine, and its writer Herman Brusselmans, already subject to ongoing legal proceedings in Belgium, are now facing the same pressures in the Netherlands after the principal body representing Dutch Jewry – the CJO together with the Brussels based EJA announced that they have started legal proceedings in Holland.

In a Humo article published in August, Herman Brusselmans wrote the following: “I see an image of a crying and screaming Palestinian boy that is crying inconsolably for his mother who lying under the rubble, and I imagine that the boy is my own son Roman, and the mother is my own girlfriend Lena, and I become so enraged that I want to ram a pointed knife straight into the throat of every Jew I meet.”

The article, despite horrified objections by Jews in Belgium, and indeed across the world, was allowed to remain on Humo pages, and in fact was only retracted under duress and acres of negative coverage. By then the damage had been done.

The legal proceedings have been launched in Holland as the magazine, written in Dutch, is readily available on newstands and in libraries across the country.

Chanan Hertzberger, the Chairman of the CJO, announcing the legal case against Brusselmans and Humo magazine, said in a statement:

“The antisemitic hate perpetuated by Brusselmans was cross-border, aided and abbetted by Humo magazine who acted as the courier to many thousands of readers in Holland.

“As such his antisemitic incitement to murder affects Dutch Jewry in the same way his incitement to murder affects Belgian Jewry. The irresponsibility and lack of Judgement at Humo – in light of the record rises in antisemitism across the continent since October the 7th – is astounding. Their reticence in pulling the piece, that should have been scrunched up and thrown in the editorial bin in the first place does not make them guardians of freedom of speech – as they would have it – but as willing accomplices. This cannot stand. And we at the CJO will not allow it to stand.”

Rabbi Menachem Margolin, the Chairman of the EJA, who along with partners in Belgian Jewish organisations have an ongoing case against the magazine and Brusselmans in the Belgian courts added

“The Brusselmans case is a hugely important one. It goes to the very heart of the battle against antisemitism. As a people denied a voice, or indeed representation throughout history, you will not find bigger advocates for freedom of speech than Jews. But Brusselmans and Humo exploited this freedom is the most disgusting and dangerous way, putting the lives of Jews literally in front of the writer’s pointed knife and in front of every reader he incited to do likewise either unwittingly or not.

“We must never allow hate to win and must always hold those that perpetuate it to account for their actions.”

Ends.