Last
week, at a
White House
briefing
with a small
group of
Jewish
leaders,
including
Rabbi Marvin
Hier the
Wiesenthal
Center's
dean and
founder, U.S
President
George W.
Bush spoke
about
prospects
for peace in
the Middle
East and
concerns
over Iranian
actions. The
President
then turned
to the
question of
antisemitism,
noting that
he was
deeply
disturbed
about
continued
antisemitism
in Europe.
He then told
Rabbi Hier
that he was
shocked and
dismayed by
the
proliferation
of European
antisemitism,
adding that
it must not
be
tolerated.
Since the
resurgence
of
antisemitic
hatred in
Western
Europe, the
Simon
Wiesenthal
Center has
been on the
frontlines
of combating
this
frightening
escalation.
In 2000, we
first raised
the issue
with UN
Secretary
General Kofi
Annan,
(pictured
right). In
2001, as the
spokesmen
for Jewish
NGOs at the
UN
Conference
Against
Racism
in Durban
South
Africa, we
raised the
alarm of a
new campaign
to
de-legitimize
Israel and
defame her
supporters
throughout
the world.
SWC
Officials
with
German
Minister
for
Foreign
Affairs,
Joschka
Fisher
at
the
Conference
On
Antisemitism
in
Berlin |
In France,
we gave
voice to
victims of
anti-Jewish
hate crimes
while at the
same time we
vigorously
lobbied
French
authorities
to fully
protect
Jewish
institutions
from violent
attacks. At
the European
Union, at
the OSCE, in
Berlin,
Paris, and
across the
continent,
we have
pushed for
tougher
sentencing
for violent
antisemites,
demanding
that
proscribed
Holocaust
curricula be
carried out
- especially
in schools
with large
Muslim
populations.
The
Wiesenthal
Center has
helped
thrust these
issues onto
the front
burner of
the
international
community by
convening a
historic
Conference
on
Antisemitism
at UNESCO
(pictured
right) and
later
participating
in similar
events at UN
headquarters.
But the
situation
remains
precarious
in many
locations
and that is
why we must
continue to
demand that
the safety
and dignity
of Jews be
protected
wherever
they live.
Greece
-
2004 |
That is why
we are
asking you
to join our
campaign to
José Manuel
Barroso, the
newly
elected
President of
the European
Commission
urging him
make the
threat of
antisemitism
a priority
for his
administration
in 2005. As
the European
community
has expanded
to 25
nations,
there is no
more crucial
an address
than the EU
to finally
take on this
virulent new
strain of
anti-Jewish
hatred.
With your
help, we
have made a
difference
but so much
more needs
to be done.
Jewish
cemetery
in
Herrlisheim,
eastern
France,
2004 |
In
France,
we financed
and
co-sponsored
a grass
roots group,
the SOS
Truth and
Security
Organization
to combat
the rise of
attacks of
French Jews.
In addition
to meeting
with French
government
leaders, we
also met
with the
heads of the
French
Magistrates
Union and
pressed for
harsher
sentences
for
antisemitic
hate crimes.
We have also
offered to
assist in
preparing
curriculum
to be taught
in the
schools. We
issued
travel
advisories
to both
France and
Belgium
after
authorities
failed to
take the
necessary
steps to
insure the
safety and
security of
Jewish
institutions.
In
Germany,
antisemitic
books were
removed from
the
prestigious
Frankfurt
Book Fair
after we
protested
charging
that many of
the books
violated
German law,
which bans
incitement
to hate.
Following
our
objections,
German
authorities
banned the
"First Arab
Islamic
Congress"
and when the
conference
organizers
planned on
relocating
the
conference
to
Austria,
Center dean
and founder
Rabbi Hier
met with
Austrian
President
Heinz
Fischer
(pictured
left)
informing
him of the
developments
where he
promptly
took
measures to
ensure the
conference
wouldn't
take place.
Years ago
Simon
Wiesenthal
expressed
the fear
that we
would
"repeat the
old mistakes
under new
conditions...
(that) we
are afraid
to mobilize
right
against
wrong." If
the
Holocaust
has any
lesson, it
is precisely
that we
cannot stand
by while
antisemitism
and other
forms of
bigotry take
root.
We must
join
together and
act now to
stop the
escalation
of
antisemitism
in Europe.
Click here
to send your
message to
European
Commission
President
José Manuel
Barroso now.
SWC Snider Social Action
Institute