Action against anti-Semitism
According to a recent report by the Stephen Roth Institute, there was an increase in anti-Semitic incidents world-wide of 6.6 per cent in 2007 compared with the previous year. Moreover, the number of severe violent attacks rose threefold in 2007.
Anti-Semitism is still a deeply-rooted phenomenon in many liberal democracies, despite efforts by governments and independent organisations to tackle it. Hatred against Jews is nowadays also very entrenched in many Muslim countries.
WJC Policy
- Anti-Semitism in all its forms must be combated vigorously by determined action of governments and civil society.
- Of particular importance are the education of young people, the role of the media, and the action by police and the judiciary in bringing perpetrators of anti-Semitic crimes to justice.
- Governments and international organisations need to provide adequate resources for the fight against hatred, notably by providing security to Jewish communities and by improving education.
- Laws against anti-Semitism and other forms of racism need to be adopted and enforced properly in every country.
Neo-Nazi groups
In many countries, neo-Nazi groups are gaining ground. Marches and rallies are increasingly being held by extremist organisations. Sometimes, those intentionally pass by Jewish sites or are held to coincide with important Holocaust-era anniversaries.
WJC Policy
- All forms and expressions of neo-Nazism, xenophobia and intolerance are unacceptable and have to be condemned.
- The full force of the law needs to be applied to those who are a danger to democracy liberty and Jewish communities.
- Marches by extremist, anti-Semitic neo-Nazi groups should be banned where national laws provide for such a possibility.
- Governments and political leaders should condemn such events and work together with local Jewish communities.
Anti-Zionism = Anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism often comes in the form of excessive, unbalanced criticism of Israel, including calls for boycotts of Israeli products, etc. In 2007, a British trade union called for the boycott of Israeli academics. The Paris and Turin book fairs in March and April 2008 were boycotted by many Muslim countries and intellectuals because Israel was invited as the guest of honour. In most cases, such expressions of anti-Zionism are just another form of anti-Semitism
WJC Policy
- Israel’s thriving democracy is rightly open to criticism. However, unfair and biased attacks against Israel or Jews supporting Israel need to be condemned and countered.
- Boycotts of Israel in any form are unjustified and unacceptable.
- Subtle media that blurs anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism in order to inflame and exacerbate public dislike of both Israel and Jews should be exposed.
Anti-Semitism in the media and on the internet
Along with everybody else, extremists are increasingly making use of the internet, the most wide reaching form of mass media. Extremist groups use the internet to advertise themselves and their ideologies, publicise their activities, communicate with their members and raise funds. Young, impressionable, people are increasingly being misled by hate propaganda disseminated in this way.
Technological advances have also reduced the cost of producing and distributing books and leaflets and television and radio shows can be produced and broadcast over the internet for little or no cost.
WJC Policy
- Governments, regulators, online retailers and internet service providers need to address the proliferation of anti-Semitic and other hate material on the internet and adopt clear guidelines on this issue, especially when children and teenagers and targeted.
- Anti-Semitic broadcasters or newspapers must not benefit from state-funding. Where possible, licenses for TV and radio broadcasters should be granted only if these do not disseminate hate propaganda.
- Self-regulation by internet service providers and online retailers to prevent the spread of anti-Semitic, xenophobic or racist material is the appropriate way to deal with this issue. Online retailers and companies must take their responsibilities seriously, or risk being exposed. It is morally wrong and distasteful to make money with items glorifying the Nazis.
- Companies that knowingly accept the publication, or promote the sale, of anti-Semitic or racist materials on their platforms and websites should be condemned, and in extreme cases boycotted. However, freedom of speech should not be restricted and efforts to combat hate propaganda in the media should not primarily consist of bans and censorship.
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| ANTI-SEMITISM DATABASE |
Prepared
by the Stephen Roth Institute for the Study
of Contemporary Anti-Semitism & Racism
in cooperation with the World Jewish Congress.
The World Jewish Congress is happy to support
the research carried out by the Roth Institute
and provide data on anti-Semitism gathered
from its member communities. click
here to access comprehensive information
about anti-Semitism, annual country-by-country
reports, statistical data, and academic database
of publications relating to anti-Semitism. |
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| Together with Jewish communities in nearly 100 countries,
the World Jewish Congress works in partnership with the
Roth Institute to vigilantly monitor anti-Semitic acts
and trends throughout the world. In this effort, the Roth
Institute catalogues anti-Semitic individuals, organizations
and publications and publishes its findings on a continuing
basis on its website and in its annual report.
The World Jewish Congress shares their findings and critically important
analysis with intergovernmental agencies, and in conjunction with our local
communities, with national governments.
Using its internationally
recognized diplomatic credentials and unique position at
the United Nations, the World Jewish Congress is leading
the fight to have the international community, in the form
of the United Nations General Assembly, fully and singularly
condemn anti-Semitism.
To foster the moral courage necessary to accomplish this,
the World Jewish Congress is gathering 1,000,000 signatures
for a petition demanding passage of a standalone United
Nations resolution condemning anti-Semitism.
Although the traditional forms of anti-Semitism remain
- The Protocols of the Elders of Zion and Mein Kampf are
still in publication and bestsellers in many countries
- today there are new forms and new sources of anti-Semitism.
As we have learned, anti-Semitism can manifest itself
in both overt and subtle ways. It comes from the 'Left'
and from the 'Right'. And while the lingering poison of
Nazism continues to feed ongoing anti-Semitism, the most
prevalent and virulent forms of violence against Jews in
the 21st century now come from the Arab or Muslim communities
and the radical Islamic movements.
Jews are beaten in the streets, synagogues are bombed
and burned, cemeteries are desecrated and Jewish children
must attend classes under the constant threat of attack,
protected by armed guards. The Jewish people thought that
we would never again face a scourge of anti-Semitism so
violent that entire communities would consider moving to
other countries, but sadly, that is now the case.
This situation cannot continue. Because we believe that
all Jews are responsible for one another, the World Jewish
Congress has committed its resources and redoubled its
efforts in the battle against anti-Semitism. We have taken
our struggle to governments, international organizations,
universities and the media. But we cannot do it alone and
we need your help. So please, sign the petition demanding
unequivocal condemnation of anti-Semitism and join our
fight today.
click
here to help us continue our work and make a charitable
donation to the WJC Foundation.
click
here to sign the petition demanding that the UN
condemn anti-Semitism. |
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