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December 5, 2003/Kislev 10 5764, Vol. 56, No.11
Scrutinizing the face of anti-Semitism
TOBY AXELROD
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
BERLIN - The study that the European Union's Monitoring Center on Racism and Xenophobia commissioned was prompted by a wave of anti-Semitic incidents in Europe that intensified in the spring of 2002.
The report was suppressed, allegedly to avoid offending Europe's large Muslim communities. The European Jewish Congress obtained a copy of the report and released it Dec. 1.
These are among its findings:
- In many cases, perpetrators of attacks could not be identified. But in cases where they could, the attacks "were committed above all either by right-wing extremists or radical Islamists or young Muslims mostly of Arab descent, who are often themselves potential victims of exclusion and racism."
- Attacks such as desecration of synagogues and Jewish cemeteries, painting of swastikas, sending of threatening and insulting mail, and Holocaust denial generally were attributable to the far-right.
- Physical attacks on Jews and the desecration and destruction of synagogues often were committed by young Muslims. Many of these attacks occurred during or after pro-Palestinian demonstrations. In addition, radical Islamist groups were responsible for placing anti-Semitic propaganda on the Internet and in Arab-language media.
- On the extreme left-wing scene, anti-Semitic remarks were made at pro-Palestinian and anti-globalization rallies and in newspaper articles that used anti-Semitic stereotypes in criticizing Israel.
This combination of anti-Zionist and anti-American views formed an important element in the emergence of an anti-Semitic mood in Europe, the report found. Israel - portrayed as a capitalistic, imperialistic power - the "Zionist lobby," and the United States are depicted as evildoers in the Middle East and as a negative influence generally on world affairs.
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