This document presents the major reported antisemitic incidents in 2016. Prepared by the European Jewish Congress, Secretariat and Member of the Advisory Board of the European Parliament Working Group on Antisemitism.
The European Parliament Working Group on Antisemitism (WGAS), held an event at the European Parliament to discuss the importance of building bridges through cooperation and dialogue as opposed to destructive and counterproductive calls for boycotts, namely by the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions Movement (BDS). The event, which was titled “Culture and Education: Bridges, not Boycotts”, consisted…
The Chair of the European Parliament Working Group on Antisemitism (EP-WGAS), Heinz K Becker MEP (Austria, EPP), condemns the wave of antisemitic attacks that have taken place across Europe following President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. “The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, or any other political issue, can never serve as justification…
The recent political campaign by the Hungarian Government against George Soros utilized motifs with a very problematic anti-Semitic past, including the image of a shadowy puppeteer pulling the strings of politicians. The European Parliament Working Group on Antisemitism (WGAS) would like to draw attention to the IHRA working definition of antisemitism, which lists one of…
In my capacity as Chair of the European Parliament Working Group on Antisemitism (EP-WGAS), on the immensely sad occasion of Shimon Peres death, I want to express my deepest condolences and sympathies. I had the privilege to meet with Shimon Peres several times. He was a political giant and a peace hero, one of the wisest politicians and human…
Dear President Schulz,
The Board of the European Parliament Working Group on Antisemitism learned about the recent declarations of our colleague, MEP Martina Anderson, during a meeting that took place in the European Parliament on 25th of May 2016.
The European Parliament Working Group on Antisemitism (WGAS) has sharply criticised the erection in the centre of Budapest of a statue in memory of György Donáth, a wartime-era Hungarian politician notorious for his antisemitic and racist views. “Honouring an avowed Nazi apologist, racist and antisemitic in the heart of one of our European capitals is…
Subject: The impact social media stakeholders have on European citizens and rising anti-Semitism in the wake of increasing radicalisation The threat from terrorism remains strong in Europe and the Internet creates more and more opportunities to become radicalised, acting as an echo chamber for extremist beliefs and connecting like-minded individuals from across the world 24/7….
Subject: Combating the rise in anti-Semitism In the light of figures indicating a steep rise in the number of anti-Semitic incidents in the UK in 2015 compared with 2014, can the Commission please indicate what funding and other forms of assistance it will provide to combating this rising scourge anew? Answer given by Ms Jourová on…
Subject: Hate speech on the Internet and in online media The Internet and online media enable users to create, publish, distribute and utilise multimedia content in many different ways, thus providing an arena for creativity and communication. In the sphere of human rights, the language of hatred, as such, is not a new problem. However,…
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) would like to address the spelling of the term ‘antisemitism’, often rendered as ‘anti-Semitism’. IHRA’s concern is that the hyphenated spelling allows for the possibility of something called ‘Semitism’, which not only legitimizes a form of pseudo-scientific racial classification that was thoroughly discredited by association with Nazi ideology, but…
(Published in Ι Kathimerini Newspaper April 5, 2018) By Photini Tomai* The experience gained from the close monitoring of anti-Semitism and Holocaust issues for over two decades leaves no scope for misjudgments: anti-Semitism is still here; so are its derivatives, regardless of their grade and intensity, whenever and wherever onset. At his opening address…
I am German, I am Jewish, my Grandmother is a Schindler survivor. Her fate living through the Holocaust has led me to my academic and professional career and is the driving motivation behind my work combating anti-Semitism and advocating for Holocaust remembrance in Europe as director of EU Affairs for B’nai B’rith International. Jewish life…
The Resolution on combating antisemitism, adopted by the European Parliament in June, was welcomed by twelve intellectuals who commended in a public letter this undertaking in support of the fight against antisemitism and anti-Zionism. They praised the decision of the European Parliament to include anti-Zionism in the definition of antisemitism as a form of expression…
On 25 April 2017 the Austrian Government adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. A spokesman for the Österreichische Volkspartei said that Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz’s approval of the working definition should send a “national and international signal”. The Austrian Government noted that the working definition was the first such working…
