Return of `the oldest hatred'
Eliahu Salpeter
Haaretz, 18 December 2002
Six months after a wave of anti-Semitism incidents around the world, Jewish and international organizations are releasing reports that caution that the phenomenon is not only continuing, but also taking root in Western countries. Although it may sound strange to use the words "taking root" in reference to anti-Semitism, which recently was described as "the oldest hatred" - this year, a new paradox emerged. While at the beginning of 2002 the intifada and Israel's actions in the territories were the immediate reason behind anti-Semitic acts - mostly carried out by Muslims in Europe - as 2003 approaches, there is an emerging trend among the local radical right and neo-Nazis to translate this anti-Semitism into anti-Israel attacks. They have been joined in this effort by left-wing academic circles. On the other hand, in recent weeks the first signs appeared that even among Jews (and not necessarily anti-Zionist Jews) there is a preference for separating the Palestinian-Israeli issue from other local Jewish problems.
In its most recent issue, the London newspaper, The Jewish Chronicle, reported from Brussels on the activities of an organization known as the Rabbinical Center of Europe, set by up the Chabad movement. The Rabbinical Center is meant to serve as a liaison office between Lubavitcher followers and the institutions of the European Union (EU) as well as the organizer of religious programs for the 400 or so Jews among the 12,000-member staff of the EU's institutions. Rabbi Moshe Gorelnik, the director of the Rabbinical Center to told the London newspaper he is convinced that the Western world would be much more tolerant of Jews if were "to hear less about Israel and more about Judaism."
The problematic link between anti-Semitism and the conflict in the Middle East worries others besides the Chabad representatives in Brussels. In November, Jewish leaders from 40 countries met in Prague to discuss rising anti-Semitism, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the demonization of Israel and Holocaust denial.
In his opening address, Lord Weidenfeld noted that Jews in the U.S., Europe and Israel now face three common challenges: dealing with extremist Muslims, the Israeli-Arab conflict and the crisis in Iraq. Roger Cukierman, the president of CRIF, the representative political organization of French Jewry, stressed the link between the situation in the Middle East and the attacks on synagogues in France. However, some speakers at the gathering pointed out the need to refrain from transforming the legitimate concern sparked by the anti-Semitic incidents into paranoia.
In recent weeks, there have also been reports published on rising anti-Semitism in several countries. The Helsinki Human Rights Watch group reported that since the outbreak of the intifada, Greek newspapers have published quotes from influential figures in politics, education and culture that indicated "blatant anti-Semitism." Greek papers "were flooded" with caricatures and headlined stories that drew parallels between Israel's actions in the territories and the Holocaust and compared Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to Hitler. The journal of the Athens Jewish community referred to "anti-Semitic hysteria." Newspapers around the world are also featuring recurring reports of anti-Semitic remarks made by spokesmen of the Orthodox Church in Greece. The primary obstacle preventing action against anti-Semitism lies in the fact that "the Greek government has yet to express an aggressive and consistent position against anti-Semitism," a report by the human rights watch group stated.
France's deputy minister of justice declared in parliament around a week ago, "the events of recent months indicate a worrisome rise in the number of crimes that were inspired by anti-Semitism." These remarks were made at a discussion on increasing the punishment for anti-Semitic statements and actions. A short time before his speech, hooligans broke into a synagogue in the Dardon region, desecrated some holy books and stole money from the office till.
In Germany, there are still reverberations from the Joergen Moelleman episode, in which the deputy chairman of the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) was forced to resign after voicing anti-Semitic remarks. Moelleman's anti-Semitic remarks contributed to his party's resounding loss in the recent parliamentary elections in Germany. German newspapers are still discussing the results of a public opinion poll that found that 22 percent of Germans believe the Jews "have too much influence" in their country and 17 percent believe that the Jews themselves are to blame, at least partially, for anti-Semitism.
At a Zionist Federation conference in Canada in early December, the speakers noted that Jew hatred is being camouflaged as criticism of Israel. Recently, there has also been an increase in the number of references to blood libels and "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion," that imply that via Israel, the Jews are taking over the world. Comments of this sort are also appearing in academic circles. In Canada, there are now approximately a quarter of a million Arabs, and "many of them bring anti-Semitism with them in their suitcases," the speakers at the conference said.
Jewish leaders on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean last week organized a series of meetings with members of Congress and White House officials. "Many European Jews now feel more vulnerable, disappointed and anxious than they have since the Holocaust years," said the head of the group, Alfred Moses, a former U.S. ambassador in eastern Europe and a former president of the American Jewish Committee.
Bnai Brith's Anti Defamation League last week submitted a ten-point plan for a war against anti-Semitism to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Among the points are a call for member countries to follow the U.S., Germany and France, and to enact laws against racism and anti-Semitism.
As mentioned, the concern over recent events is not limited to Jewish organizations. The EU's European Monitoring Center on Racism and Xenophobia last week presented its periodic report in Brussels and it stated: "A danger exists - that racism and xenophobia are becoming acceptable in Europe." Bob Perkis, the European Center's committee chairman, added that, "Anti-Muslim sentiment and anti-Semitism now seem legitimate because the elements are being mixed up. The escalation of violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the socio-economic problems inside the EU sparked a wave of attacks on Jews and synagogues across the bloc of 15 countries. Perkis asked the EU to work to counter the threat that racism was again "striking roots" in Europe.
At the same time, there have also been positive developments in recent weeks. The attention given to the matter and the denunciations of rising anti-Semitism in the various reports is by itself a positive phenomenon. The French parliament unanimously approved a law to toughen the punishment for racist and anti-Semitic acts. German and U.S. lawmakers signed a declaration calling for increased efforts to combat xenophobia and anti-Semitism. Cardinal Walter Kasper, who is the Vatican official in charge of relations with Jews, spoke at Brandeis University, in Massachusetts and repeated the Vatican's statement that "the campaign aimed at converting Jews to Christianity is no longer theologically acceptable to the Catholic Church."
In his lecture on anti-Semitism in Canada, Prof. Frederic Krantz, the director of the Canadian Institute of Jewish Studies noted ironically that: "once it was thought that the establishment of a Jewish state would put an end to anti-Semitism. But things did not develop according to the expectations."
