Calling for a boycott against Israel is forbidden now – and other measures against anti-Semitism
A supporter of Jewish rights waving a flag in Berlin, Germany. Photo EPA, Clemens Bilan
European Union
Anti-Semitism is growing too fast. Several governments in Europe are taking action against anti-Jewish behaviour. They come amid severe incidents against Israeli football supporters in Amsterdam.
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The German Bundestag took the clearest decision. Last week, the parliament accepted a resolution from both the government and the Christian Democratic opposition to protect Jewish life in the country. The title of the resolution was “Never again is now”, according to reports from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
According to the text, hatred against Jews and Israel is higher than “decades” since the terror attacks on October 7th 2023. The resolution also explicitly mentions that migrants especially add to this problem. Especially immigrants from the Middle East are showing hostility against Israel.
Concrete measures of the resolution are that no state money can go to organisations that spread anti-Semitism or call for a boycott against Israel. Also, schools will be supported in educating about the Holocaust.
Controversial is the use of the anti-Semitism definition from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) in the resolution. According to artists and academics, this threatens the freedom of expression since also criticism against the state of Israel can be seen as anti-Semitism from the IHRA perspective.
Jewish journalists in Germany have united in a particular association. The aim is to promote fair debates on Jewish issues and to protect discriminated colleagues, according to the magazine Pro.
Norway
This Monday, the Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre presented an action plan with 22 measures against hatred against Jews. He invited representatives of the Jewish community to a meeting to discuss the matter. “We would love we did not need an action plan”, the Prime Minister said. “But we know that it is necessary.”
The Holocaust Centre in Norway has reported that anti-Semitism is growing after many years of decrease. “It is not just one budget post that resolves this”, Støre said. “This is about something difficult as attitudes.”
The measures were summarised as dialogue, knowledge and competence, and safety and security.
According to a report in Dagen, voices from the Jewish community were positive about the action plan.
Netherlands
Also, the Dutch government has been invited to take action against anti-Semitism. On Wednesday, there was a lengthy urgency debate in the Lower House about the incidents in Amsterdam last Friday.
The debate was dominated by Geert Wilders –who is leading the largest party– who presented immigration by Muslims as the basic problem of anti-Semitism.
The Dutch society was shocked by the pogrom-style hunt of Israeli football supporters. Hundreds of Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters were asked for their passports, beaten and chased.
Opposition leader Frans Timmermans expected concrete measures from the government. He advocated for appointing more detectives to track down anti-Semitic offenders and then imposing harsher penalties.
Timmermans asked schools to visit museums and places of remembrance. He admitted there were “challenges” regarding the integration of immigrants.
The Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said on Monday, the country has a “problem” with the integration of newcomers.
European Parliament
Also, in the European Parliament in Brussels, parties held an urgency debate about anti-Semitism later on Wednesday. The debate was requested by the Dutch MEP Bert-Jan Ruissen from the Reformed SGP party after the shocking events in Amsterdam.
The title of the debate is the “deplorable escalation of violence around the football match in the Netherlands and unacceptable attacks on Israeli football fans.”
“Europe is increasingly in the grip of extremist violence and Jew-hatred”, Ruissen said in a written statement. “This must stop as soon as possible.”
He hoped the European Parliament would condemn the “outrageous events”. “No form of anti-Semitism, not even disguised as a demonstration, should be tolerated.”
Already in October, the EU ministers of Foreign Affairs adopted a declaration that condemned “all forms of anti-Semitism, racism, hatred and discrimination.” Also, in this statement, action in schools was asked to keep the Holocaust in the “collective memory”.
Strong increase
This statement came after a report showing that violence against Jews had exploded after October 2023. France had seen a threefold increase from the previous year in anti-Semitic incidents, the Netherlands even an average of eight times more than earlier. In Austria, the number of incidents was four times higher.
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