Belgian MP Michael Freilich calls on the Belgian government to cancel its Durban Conference attendance, on behalf of the Belgian N-VA party.

August 30, 2021
The EJA firmly stands behind MP Michael Freilich’s call to cancel Belgium’s attendance at the 2021 Durban Conference, an action which dozens of other states have already undertaken. The Conference, which is a supposed anti-racism event, fails to address mounting antisemitism.

In the past, the conference has even been a platform for Jew-hatred to be spread. Antisemitic flyers and books, such as the ‘Protocols of the Elders of Zion’, have frequently appeared. Moreover, in the latest event, flyers were distributed of Hitler allegedly saying “What if I had won? The good things; There would be NO Israel and NO Palestinian’s blood shed- The rest is your guess.” According to UN Watch, the UN’s Durban conference has repeatedly exclusively targeted Israel and basic rights of the Jewish people whilst permitting the voices of the hateful to be amplified. U.S. Congressman & Holocaust Survivor Tom Lantos comments: “It was the most sickening display of hate for Jews I have seen since the Nazi period.”

Such an event can not be legitimized through the attendance of national representatives and participation is to be cancelled immediately. The focus on inclusive and pro-active measures to rid society of all types of hate is not to be undermined and should be continued under effective conferences and events.

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Polizia italiana premiata per il contrasto agli antisemiti

Si è conclusa con un applauso alla polizia italiana la conferenza della European Jewish Association (Eja) nell’83° anniversario della Notte dei Cristalli. Per ricordare la distruzione di 1.400 sinagoghe in Germania e Austria e l’uccisione di alcune centinaia di ebrei, la Eja ha raccolto decine di responsabili dei ministeri dell’Istruzione d’Europa per fare il punto sul contrasto all’antisemitismo a scuola. Al capo della polizia Lamberto Giannini, la Eja ha tributato il King David Award per l’opera di protezione delle comunità ebraiche. È stato l’ex vicepresidente della comunità ebraica di Roma Riccardo Pacifici a ricordare che «in Italia non c’è una scuola ebraica o una sinagoga che non goda di una protezione costante». Al Giornale, il prefetto Giannini ha ricordato che «l’antisemitismo è un fenomeno al quale prestare la massima attenzione: anche l’emergenza sanitaria ha dato vita a rigurgiti antiebraici sul web».
Cosa succede in rete?

«In molti fanno circolare dichiarazioni di odio che noi perseguiamo come reato, spesso senza neppure rendersi conto della gravità delle loro frasi, magari scritte per fare un commento o per emulazione».

Si tratta solo di privati disattenti?
«No, l’associazione Stormfront (24 condanne nel 2020, ndr) aveva addentellati con il suprematismo americano e si spendeva anche in maniera contraddittoria per il negazionismo da un lato, giustificando dall’altro lo sterminio degli ebrei».
Perché la Eja ha premiato la polizia italiana?
«Perché da noi tutte le forze dell’ordine prestano grande attenzione alla protezione di una comunità colpita nel 1982 (con l’attentato alla sinagoga di Roma, ndr). Oggi esiste un rapporto stretto con le comunità ebraiche, che ci segnalano eventi potenzialmente pericolosi: questo coordinamento la differenza».
Qual è la situazione della sicurezza dopo due anni di pandemia?
«Ci dobbiamo preparare alle riaperture già iniziate con serenità ed equilibrio. Io penso all’Italia come a una molla che è stata compressa e adesso si muove per tornare alla sua estensione: serve fare attenzione. Oggi occorre evitare infiltrazione della criminalità nei fondi che stanno arrivando. Sul fronte manifestazioni cerchiamo di contemperare il diritto a manifestare con il dovere di farlo in maniera pacifica. I fatti internazionali ci ricordano poi che esiste un rischio terrorismo: senza dubbio stiamo vivendo un periodo che non ha precedenti».
 
https://www.ilgiornale.it/news/politica/polizia-italiana-premiata-contrasto-agli-antisemiti-1988059.html

Meeting with H.E. Denitsa Sacheva, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Bulgaria

Yesterday, on 17 September 2019, a delegation made up from the European Jewish Association (Alex Benjamin, Director of Public Affairs), the Action and Protection Foundation /Hungary/ (Ferenc Olti, Board Member of the Hungarian Jewish Cultural Association and Kálmán Szalai, Secretary) and a member of our Advisory Board (Emil Kalo, Vice-President of the World Jewish Congress, President of the Bulgarian Foundation ORT) has met with Denitsa Sacheva, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Bulgaria, and members of her office.

The main topic of discussion has been the European Curriculum and Textbook Project against Antisemitism, a meeting on which just last week has already taken place in Valletta, Malta. This time, organized in the ancient city of Sofia, we have had an excellent opportunity to touch upon this subject and its various aspects with Mrs. Sacheva and her colleagues.

Not only has interest in possible cooperation been reciprocated – which in itself is already an excellent result – a preliminary agreement has been reached with Madam Deputy Minister on prospectively designing and implementing a pilot project in Bulgaria, based on the ECTPA.

We are deeply grateful to Deputy Minister Sacheva and the Ministry of Education and Science for the chance to talk about this important initiative and eagerly look forward to further cooperation.

The Oporto Jewish community welcomed seven hostage families, pledging relentless support.

We commend our partner in Portugal for their unwavering dedication. The Oporto Jewish community welcomed seven hostage families, pledging relentless support. Here’s an excerpt from Gabriel Senderowicz Mold’s speech:

Our tireless efforts to assist the hostages:

First to alert the President & media about Portuguese citizens among hostages, urging Qatar’s aid.
Advocated for broader diplomatic ties to secure freedom for Portuguese citizens.
Expedited nationality certification for those with Sephardic roots.
Urged prompt action from the Registry Office.
Applied pressure on Portuguese authorities through media channels.
Took legal action when registry decisions fell short.

The battle continues: We’re still in court fighting for the rights of the late Ravid Katz’s family.

EU COURT DECISION LABELLING WHEN ISRAEL IS UNDER FIRE IS “WORST KIND OF FIDDLING WHILE ROME BURNS” SAYS EU JEWISH HEAD

“The European court quoting Israel for its “breach of the rules of international humanitarian law” whilst Hamas and its acolytes are bombing innocent civilian populations in Israel is one of the most perverse ironies I have witnessed in quite some time,” says Rabbi Menachem Margolin
As Israel was reeling this morning under a barrage of indiscriminate rocket fire from Gaza, the EU’s top court ruled today that EU countries must oblige retailers to identify products made in Israeli settlements with special labels.
The move was sharply criticized by the Chairman of the European Jewish Association, Rabbi Menachem Margolin “as the worst kind of fiddling while Rome literally burns”.
In a long running saga on labelling products originating from settlements in the West Bank, the European Court of Justice said in a statement that “foodstuffs originating in the territories occupied by the State of Israel must bear the indication of their territory of origin.”
Rabbi Margolin said in statement:
“The entire basis of the labelling policy is purely discriminatory against the world’s only Jewish state. Is any other country in the world with disputed territory subjected to such a blatantly one-sided policy? The answer is no. It also goes against the international standard of trade set by the World Trade Organization.
“What is particularly galling is the message this sends to the Israeli public today.
“As shops, schools and businesses are forced to close because of the onslaught of massive indiscriminate rocket fire from Gaza, as Israelis take shelter and border towns and villages steel themselves against the worst, the EU sends them a signal not of support or solidarity, but of punitive and needless labelling.
“This is the worst kind of fiddling while Rome burns. The European court quoting Israel for its “breach of the rules of international humanitarian law” whilst Hamas and its acolytes are bombing innocent civilian populations in Israel is one of the most perverse ironies I have witnessed in quite some time.”

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