Israeli Government reaction on the growing anti-semitism in Europe
JEW | 28.09.2003 11:18
The Israeli Government Plenum accepted the draft proposal of Minister for Diaspora, Social and Jerusalem Affairs Nathan Sharansky which states that the Government of Israel is following with concern, and regards seriously, the instances of antisemitism in the countries of Europe. The Government also decided to call on the authorities and leaders of the countries of the world to take the necessary measures to prevent these phenomena and to punish the law-breakers.
Minister Sharansky, who also serves as the Chairman of the Coordination Forum for countering Antisemitism, said at the weekly Government meeting that he was especially concerned over the fact that antisemitic and anti-Israel attacks have become an integral part of the demonstrations against the war in Iraq.
Minister Sharansky presented to the other members of the Government a number of incidents that had occurred over the past several days in France and in Belgium. In Belgium children were attacked near a Jewish school following a demonstration, and a Molotov Cocktail was tossed at a synagogue. In France an Israeli youth was attacked during a demonstration against the American action against Iraq. He was injured in the head and the eyes.
Sharansky informed the ministers that the report of the Coordination Forum for countering Antisemitism for the year 2002 had been published several days earlier. The report shows a constant increase in acts of antisemitism, especially in Western Europe.
In the course of the meeting of the Government, Minister Sharansky said that he intended summoning the Ambassadors of Belgium and France and presenting them with the information that has accumulated on the recent incidents of antisemitism, as well as with the grim data contained in the report. During the meeting Minister will request that the Ambassadors ask their respective countries take aggressive action to prevent the repetition these terrible acts and increase the protection around Israeli and Jewish institutions.
JEW
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