European Jews face rising tide of anti-Semitism in Gaza operation's wake

[King_David]

Two leading German newspapers led their Friday editions with calls for an end to hatred against Jews.

http://www.haaretz.com/polopoly_fs/1.607302.1406387975!/image/1432576168.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_640/1432576168.jpg

Jews in Europe are facing a rising tide of anti-Semitism, as left-wing, right-wing and Islamic groups take to the streets to protest against Israel's military operation in Gaza.

In Toulouse, France, over the weekend, police arrested a man for throwing fire-bombs at a local Jewish center. The fire-bombs failed to ignite.

In Britain, police have recorded more than 100 anti-Jewish hate crimes since the Gaza conflict began, including an attack on a rabbi by four Muslim youths in Gateshead, a Hassidic enclave in north-east England, and bricks thrown through the windows of a Belfast synagogue on two successive nights.

In Norway, police have recommended the temporary closure of two Jewish museums, for fear of attack, while in Copenhagen on the weekend police dispersed a pro-Israel rally out of concern for the safety of the participants.

German TV showed protesters from the country's Arab minority threatening violence against Jews at a demonstration in Berlin on Thursday. Similar incidents took place in Frankfurt and Essen recently, according to police.

http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/jewish-world-news/1.607433

[uppityperson]

1. I am not sure how to phrase this correctly, my apologies for being inaccurate

While Israel and Judaism are connected, there is also a huge difference between the policies of the political state Israel and people who belong to the religion.

These sorts of action help no one, nothing.

[BlueStreak]

3. It isn't "Antisemitism". It is calling out brutal behavior and applying

the same standards that we apply to others that commit similar acts of aggression.

If you want to defend the Israeli right-wingers and what seems nothing short of war crimes (collective punishment), please go ahead and make your arguments. But I will not stand for any commentary on the subject being labeled "antisemitism."

[King_David]

4. These are European Jews not Israelis

And it's clearly AntiSemitism , no argument , no debate , no rebuttal .

It's pure good old fashioned AntiSemitism .

[BlueStreak]

6. I'm not anti-Semite. I'm anti-war-criminals.

I don't care where and when they worship. What they are doing in Gaza is nothing short of war crimes. They are losing their support all over the world.

Look, they have been doing this for 50 years, always bullying any critics with the anti-Semite label. They have gone too far for many people this time. It is only a matter of time before one of the neighboring countries unleashes a weapon that is truly horrifying. Jews worldwide really need to stand up and disown Netanyahu and his fellow lunatics before it is too late. Time is running short.

[King_David]

8. These violent attacks are on Jews in Europe

France , Ireland , Germany , Belgium etc etc
Attacking Jews because they are Jews is AntiSemitism .

There is no debate about this.

[BlueStreak]

9. I agree that is unfortunate. But it is a direct consequence

Last edited Tue Jul 29, 2014, 02:24 PM - Edit history (1)

of letting a terrorist state operate with impunity. People strike back where they can. That isn't right, but sanctioning the kind of atrocities conducted by the state of Israel isn't right either.

Good Jews everywhere need to stand up and make clear they do not support the regime that is in control of Israel. Millions of people normally inclined to support Israel are getting fed up with these periodic "mowing the grass" operations while Israel steadfastly blocks all efforts to create long-term stability in the region.

This is not going to end well for Israel with the right-wingers in control. People who care about Israel need to stand up and be counted.

[King_David]

10. I can't answer you adequately

Without getting my post hidden.

Sometimes it's difficult to remember this is a progressive leftish group when reading these posts .

[reorg]

11. "violent attacks"?

I linked in earlier posts to videos documenting the aggressive chants shouted in Berlin by young Arab immigrants, so I have a vague idea what you are referring to with respect to Germany.

You claim "there is no debate about this". If you are trying to say that "Jews in Europe"/Germany are violently attacked, please be specific. I am not aware of any "violent attack".

If you are trying to say that some politicians and spokespersons have denounced the "anti-Semitism" in certain chants and slogans at recent demonstrations, well that's true, but I think it can and should be debated whether that notion is correct.

Example: During one of those spontaneous demonstrations, in Frankfurt, the police lent their megaphone to the demonstrators. When the demonstration had been announced, it was thought that only a very small number of people would attend. But then instead of 30 it had 3000 participants. I think it was a very wise decision by the police not to try and disperse the demonstrators. They probably would have unable to do it, anyway, since they were caught be surprise and undermanned. So, they cooperated with the demonstrators in order to take control and see to it that everything stay calm and non-violent. As a sign of being friendly, they let one of the speakers use their megaphone. But then he shouted one of those supposedly "anti-Semitic" slogans, namely:

"Kindermörder Israel" (child killer Israel). Through a police megaphone.

As a consequence, several upstanding citizens of Frankfurt have pressed charges against the police officers involved. They say what happened was "Volksverhetzung" (sedition/incitement of the people). The prosecutor's office has already denied that the law applies to that particular slogan (but they continue to investigate if other and worse slogans were also shouted). But press reports and spokespersons all around keep talking of "anti-Semitism" and "hate speech". Even the state government became involved and apologized for the incident. We failed completely, they say, the police should have been better prepared, and what did the Verfassungsschutz (intelligence service) know?

I, for one, feel sorry for the unfortunate police officers. I think they did the right thing in this situation, trying to keep the situation calm by supporting the demonstrators. And I don't think demonstrating and shouting "child killer Israel" in reaction to what happened in the past weeks in Gaza is disproportionate, "hate speech" or comes even close to "anti-Semitism".

This kind of inflationary use of the term isn't helping. It is superficial and irresponsible. If you want to find out if anti-Semitism is on the rise, go talk to some of those immigrants in person. Don't denigrate them on the basis of a slogan helplessly shouted during a demonstration against a brutal, ongoing attack on what they consider their own people.

http://www.fr-online.de/frankfurt/antiisrael-demonstration-in-frankfurt-neue-hassparolen,1472798,27879358.html

[King_David]

12. Another one minimizing AntiSemitism

For what reason. ? What's the motive ?

[reorg]

15. No, actually, the politicians and spokespersons using that term

under the circumstances I described are making it harder to identify anti-Semitism, to the extent that it DOES exist.

If you feel that I am "minimizing" - what, the term, the phenomenon or the alleged rise of prejudism and bigotry towards Jewish citizens? - you should state your view a little more clearly.

BTW, you failed to specifiy which "violent attacks" on Jewish citizens have recently occured in Germany, as you have repeatedly claimed.

[King_David]

16. Cos I'm done here

I refuse to lower myself and argue if ever newspaper got it wrong reporting the waves of AntiSemitism all over the world.

Difficult to believe this conversation is taking place on a progressive site like DU.

I'm done with you here.

[reorg]

18. You take your information from headlines

apparently. That's not "progressive", it's lazy. Thanks anyway for your, if half-hearted, attention up to this point.

[oberliner]

13. Synagogue attacked, rabbi gets death threats

Attackers threw Molotov cocktails at a synagogue in the western city of Wuppertal in the early hours of Tuesday in an apparent attempt to burn it down.

A neighbour alarmed police after spotting flames near the Bergische Synagogue in Gemarker Straße in the eastern district of Barmen at around 2.15 am.

Police said they believed three young arsonists had thrown several Molotov cocktails in the direction of the synagogue doors. Officers found broken bottles on the ground at the entrance, police said in a statement.

http://www.thelocal.de/20140729/synagogue-attacked-rabbi-receives-death-threats-in-germany-anti-semitism

France's Jews Flee As Rioters Burn Paris Shops, Attack Synagogue

France's politicians and community leaders have criticised the "intolerable" violence against Paris' Jewish community, after a pro-Palestinian rally led to the vandalizing and looting of Jewish businesses and the burning of cars.

It is the third time in a week where pro-Palestinian activists have clashed with the city's Jewish residents. On Sunday, locals reported chats of "Gas the Jews" and "Kill the Jews", as rioters attacked businesses in the Sarcelles district, known as "little Jerusalem".

Manuel Valls, France's prime minister said: “What happened in Sarcelles is intolerable. An attack on a synagogue and on a kosher shop is simply anti-Semitism. Nothing in France can justify this violence.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/07/22/france-jewish-shops-riot_n_5608612.html

[reorg]

17. Wuppertal

Yes, that was a very sorry incident. The 18-year-old who was arrested says he is a Palestinian. This is a picture of the damage caused (dark spot):

The Palestinian Friendship Society distances itself

"We utterly condemn the act", with these words reacts Ismail Karoua of the Palestinian Friendship Society to an attack on the Wuppertal synagogue. "Palestinians are not anti-Semites". Such deeds are contra-productive for the political discussions about the conflicht in the Gaza strip. Protests and sympathies have been expressed by many parties and initiatives. At 17 hours a solidarity demonstration will be held in front of the synagogue.

Palästinensicher Freundschaftsverein distanziert sich

"Wir verurteilen die Tat zutiefst", mit diesen Worten reagiert Ismail Karsoua vom Palästinensischen Freundschaftsverein auf den Anschlag auf die Wuppertaler Synagoge.. "Palästinenser sind keine Antisemiten." Solche Taten seien kontraproduktiv für die politischen Diskussionen um den Konflikt im Gaza-Streifen. Proteste und Anteilnahme wurden mittlerweile von vielen Parteien und Initiativen geäußert. Um 17 Uhr soll in Barmen vor der Synagoge eine Solidaritätsdemonstration stattfinden.

http://www1.wdr.de/studio/wuppertal/themadestages/brandsaetze-synagoge100.html

[oberliner]

19. So that does qualify as a violent anti-semitic attack or no?

If not, do the incidents in France qualify?

Not sure what you are trying to communicate.

[reorg]

20. I know very little about the riot in Sarcelles

but have tried to find out what happened and posted about what I found some days ago.

As to the attempt to "damage" the synagogue in Wuppertal, well, there was obviously some violence involved. Whether it indicates a "rise of anti-Semitism" in Germany, I have my doubts. Emotionally charged demonstrations are almost always accompanied by some attempts to vandalize objects that are seen as symbols.

Somebody should explain to this 18-year-old Palestinian that synagogues are not symbols of occupation and war. Show him that not all Jewish citizens, in fact a whole lot of them, are not his enemies. One of the best-known critics of Israel's policies towards Palestinians is Evelyn Hecht-Galinski, daughter of the former President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany (attacked by others, of course, as a "self-hating Jew&quot . Maybe he doesn't know that. Maybe he thought somebody needed to leave a mark.

I'd be more concerned if such attacks did happen out of the blue and not in reaction to widely publicised brutal attacks on civilians. Such attacks did happen out of the blue in the past, and in those cases it wasn't Palestinians, but (naturally also young and stupid) Neonazis. And I would be even more concerned if what I consider "real" violent attacks, against persons, would have occurred. But that wasn't the case, at least in Germany, as far as I know.

[oberliner]

21. Thanks for the response

It does seem troubling though for a synagogue in Germany to somehow be representative of brutal attacks on civilians, doesn't it? I don't know a lot about the Jewish community in Germany beyond what I've read online, but I do know that synagogues and Jewish schools in other parts of Europe have reported serious incidents and a need to have some pretty heightened security measures in place.

[King_David]

5. Hope you don't mind but same article was posted in the Jewish group

And I linked to your reply so that other people can see some reaction from a larger cross section of DU than one would ordinarily find in the Jewish group.

Cheers.

[BlueStreak]

7. Fine with me. All the Jews I know are very kind, reasonable people

who are not at all happy with what the Israelis are doing.

[bemildred]

14. The virus spreads

As Israel does the tough but necessary work of attempting to stop Hamas terror strikes on innocent civilians, anti-Semitic rhetoric grows louder across Europe. In some places, the hate-filled energy is being converted into violence against Jews.

The breadth of the phenomenon is frightening.

In Germany, multiple street attacks have been reported in recent weeks, and an imam is under investigation for telling Muslims to murder Jews.

In Great Britain, police have registered more than 100 anti-Jewish hate crimes since the crisis in Gaza began.

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/virus-spreads-article-1.1883323?false