European Union officials have acknowledged the sharp increase in anti-Semitism in EU nations in 2002-2003. Belgium leads the continent in most extreme forms of anti-Semitism and France saw the greatest increase in incidents.
On Wednesday, in Strasbourg, France, the EU released its long-delayed report on anti-Semitism, published by the European Monitoring Center on Racism and Xenophobia (EMC) in Vienna. The report cited "young, disaffected white Europeans" as the primary perpetrators of anti-Semitic crimes, saying that extreme right-wing groups are "stirring opinion" against Jews. However, the report also noted the pronounced involvement of young Muslims and "people of North African origin" in anti-Semitic crimes. At the same time, the report authors cautioned that "it is problematic to make general statements with regard to the perpetrators of anti-Semitic acts."
While French President Chirac on numerous occasions rejected reports of increased hate attacks in that country, the EU report reveals that anti-Semitism in France has increased six-fold in recent years. In Belgium, the number of documented attacks has doubled, with Germany also showing an increase in violence against Jews. The same holds true in Holland and Britain.
The types of crimes documented in the EU report include physical assaults, arson, desecration of Jewish cemeteries and synagogues, vandalism of Jewish businesses and homes, as well as verbal harassment.
The issue of increasing anti-Semitism is brought up in all diplomatic meetings between Israeli and European leaders.
President Moshe Katsav commented on the EU report, saying that the State of Israel and the Jewish People have been worried and disturbed for some time about the upsurge in anti-Semitism in European countries.
"In every country in which synagogues are torched, it will not be long before the parliament is stoned and democracy is in danger. Any attempt to link the upsurge in anti-Semitic acts to the conflict in our region, in effect, constitutes support for terrorism," the President said.
Next month, President Katsav will travel to Berlin in order to attend a special conference - in a joint initiative with German President Johannes Rau, with the participation of OSCE heads of state - on ways to combat anti-Semitism.
In response to the EU anti-Semitism report, Avner Shalev, Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate said: "Yad Vashem calls upon all the nations of Europe to step up their educational efforts to combat anti-Semitism. The European Commission's new report recognizes that one of the key means to combating anti-Semitism is education, especially education about the Holocaust. Yad Vashem, with its expertise in teaching about the Holocaust through its international teacher training seminars, will do its utmost to be of aid to the member states of the European Union in this vital task."
Shalev added, "The report in and of itself is important, although at times the analysis shrinks from drawing firm and soul-searching conclusions. We hope that the members of the European Union will look squarely at the problem of anti-Semitism in their midst and engage in deep self-examination regarding its manifestations and motivations, and the underlying factors for both."
On Wednesday, in Strasbourg, France, the EU released its long-delayed report on anti-Semitism, published by the European Monitoring Center on Racism and Xenophobia (EMC) in Vienna. The report cited "young, disaffected white Europeans" as the primary perpetrators of anti-Semitic crimes, saying that extreme right-wing groups are "stirring opinion" against Jews. However, the report also noted the pronounced involvement of young Muslims and "people of North African origin" in anti-Semitic crimes. At the same time, the report authors cautioned that "it is problematic to make general statements with regard to the perpetrators of anti-Semitic acts."
While French President Chirac on numerous occasions rejected reports of increased hate attacks in that country, the EU report reveals that anti-Semitism in France has increased six-fold in recent years. In Belgium, the number of documented attacks has doubled, with Germany also showing an increase in violence against Jews. The same holds true in Holland and Britain.
The types of crimes documented in the EU report include physical assaults, arson, desecration of Jewish cemeteries and synagogues, vandalism of Jewish businesses and homes, as well as verbal harassment.
The issue of increasing anti-Semitism is brought up in all diplomatic meetings between Israeli and European leaders.
President Moshe Katsav commented on the EU report, saying that the State of Israel and the Jewish People have been worried and disturbed for some time about the upsurge in anti-Semitism in European countries.
"In every country in which synagogues are torched, it will not be long before the parliament is stoned and democracy is in danger. Any attempt to link the upsurge in anti-Semitic acts to the conflict in our region, in effect, constitutes support for terrorism," the President said.
Next month, President Katsav will travel to Berlin in order to attend a special conference - in a joint initiative with German President Johannes Rau, with the participation of OSCE heads of state - on ways to combat anti-Semitism.
In response to the EU anti-Semitism report, Avner Shalev, Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate said: "Yad Vashem calls upon all the nations of Europe to step up their educational efforts to combat anti-Semitism. The European Commission's new report recognizes that one of the key means to combating anti-Semitism is education, especially education about the Holocaust. Yad Vashem, with its expertise in teaching about the Holocaust through its international teacher training seminars, will do its utmost to be of aid to the member states of the European Union in this vital task."
Shalev added, "The report in and of itself is important, although at times the analysis shrinks from drawing firm and soul-searching conclusions. We hope that the members of the European Union will look squarely at the problem of anti-Semitism in their midst and engage in deep self-examination regarding its manifestations and motivations, and the underlying factors for both."