October 5, 2015
The B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC) has praised the announcement by European Commission First Vice President Frans Timmermans that two special commissioners will be appointed to combat anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. The two coordinators will report directly to Timmermans.
The announcement came during a speech which Timmmermans delivered at a European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights forum in Brussels. In that address, Timmermans stated that, “Anti-Semitism, if left unchallenged will pose a great problem to our society. Anti-Semitism is not just terrible for the Jewish community, it is like a fever in an infected body, it points at a much wider problem. Anti-Semitism left unchallenged will create a much, much bigger problem in any society, which is what European history teaches us. So tackling antisemitism is an essential operation to save what we cherish in our society”.
Timmmermans also noted that, ”The fact that today, in Europe, anti-Semitism is still a reality, and that it is in fact on the rise, old anti-Semitism that we have known for centuries, and new antisemitism, that sometimes tries to hide itself behind anti-Zionism – is something we need to confront. I don’t want European children to grow up with police at their school gates, it is a dark, dark stain on our collective conscience.”
A recent report of the EU’s Fundamental Rights Agency of anti-Semitic incidents in 2014, showed a significant increase in hate attacks on Jews across the continent.
Dr Dvir Abramovich, Chairman of the ADC, issued the following statement:
“We are very pleased by the direct and personal commitment shown by First Vice President Frans Timmermans and his acknowledgment that not enough is being done to tackle the disturbing disease of Jewish-hatred. The ADC has previously called for the establishment of special commissioners to deal with the growing threat of rising anti-Semitism. Clearly, the European Commission has vital stake and role in countering the dramatic escalation in anti-Jewish incitement and vilification which has resulted in violent attacks and murders. Effective measures and steps to protect Jewish communities across Europe and to counter anti-Semitism must be developed and implemented through concrete action, including a dedicated EU Task Force on anti-Semitism, a clear definition of anti-Semitism to be adopted by the EU, and strong legislative mechanisms to effectively stem the tide of extremism and intolerance.”
For more information, please contact Dr Dvir Abramovich on (03) 9272-5677