News

European Jewish Congress President Praises French Authoritiers for Neutralizing Al-Qaeda Linked Terrorist

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0600

European Jewish Press

European Jewish Congress President Moshe Kantor praised the French Authorities for their actions in neutralizing Mohamed Merah, the al Qaeda-linked terrorist who murdered seven people, among them three young children.

"The Jewish community received a measure of comfort by President Sarkozy and the French Authorities actions in handling this tragic massacre," Kantor said. "That they have spared no efforts to find and neutralize the perpetrator and that the election campaign has been put on hold is a testament to the depth of feeling that has developed after the shooting," he added.

He urged European leaders "to take further steps, legal and other, to fight the phenomenon that spawned the terrorist's extremist, dangerous ideology."

"I look to France to lead pan-European actions to strengthen legislation, toughen enforcement and heighten intelligence activities to prevent such terror atrocities aimed at the Jewish communities, and others, in Europe," Kantor said.

"It is time to act forcefully against the enticement that encourages such activity. I urge the EU, European states and all the relevant agencies to allocate resources and take forceful actions to fight against these phenomena," he added.

Kantor continued, "The greatest tribute that can be made for the victims and their families is to significantly toughen measures against anti-Semitism and other hate crimes. Authorities need to be given greater powers to act against any form of hate and intolerance.".

UN, Israel Lead Condemnation of France School Killings

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0600

AFP

The United Nations and Israel led world condemnation of the shooting of three children and a teacher at a Jewish school in France, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling it "despicable murder".

Children aged four, five and seven, and a 30-year-old religious education teacher, the father of two of the young victims, were shot dead on Monday as they arrived for classes at the Ozar Hatorah school in the southwestern city of Toulouse.

The killer, riding a powerful scooter, is suspected to be the same gunman who shot dead three soldiers of Arab origin in two incidents earlier this month in Toulouse and nearby Montauban.

"In France today there was a despicable murder of Jews, including small children," Netanyahu told a meeting of his Likud party.

"It is too early to determine exactly what the background to the murderous act was, but we certainly cannot rule out the option that it was motivated by violent and murderous anti-Semitism."

On the other side of the Middle East conflict, Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat also expressed his outrage, saying: "We strongly condemn all terrorist operations, and in particular the attack today in Toulouse."

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the killings "in the strongest possible terms".

Ban was "saddened by the tragic deaths" of the three children and the father of two of the dead children in the shooting in the southwest city of Toulouse, said UN spokesman Martin Nesirky.

"In attacking children and a Jewish teacher, the anti-Semitic motive of the attack appears to be obvious," Sarkozy said in a nationally televised address after he returned to Paris from the scene of the shooting.

In Washington, the White House condemned the "outrageous" and "unprovoked" shooting. "We were deeply saddened to learn of the horrific attack this morning," said National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor.

New York police beefed up security around synagogues and Jewish institutions.

The dead teacher was named by a relative as Jonathan Sandler, originally from Jerusalem, who had moved to France last year. He had dual Franco-Israeli nationality.

European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said: "I strongly condemn this odious crime and express the horror that this blind violence inspires. Nothing is more intolerable than the murder of innocent children."

The Vatican also voiced outrage, with spokesman Federico Lombardi condemning the "horrific and heinous act", noting that it followed other "senseless violence" in France.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague spoke of an act of "calculated cruelty" which he said would "unite all decent people in revulsion and condemnation."

Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti also expressed "outrage and alarm," stressing that "anti-Semitism, xenophobia and intolerance are utterly contrary to the... values that underlie all of humanity".

European Union chief Herman Van Rompuy denounced an "odious crime", Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said he was "shocked by the cruelty", and his Belgian counterpart voiced his "horror and indignation".

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said: "I hope the perpetrators are found quickly and are called to account."

"Anti-Semitism and violence against Jewish institutions or people of Jewish faith have no place in Europe and must be rigorously punished," he added.

Poland's foreign ministry said: "Such acts of terror can have no justification and must be condemned unreservedly by the civilised world."

Belgium, the Netherlands and Sweden stepped up security around Jewish schools and other buildings, while European Jewish groups urged France to catch the gunman. There were expressions of outrage from Jewish groups on other continents.

"While many of the details are still emerging, it appears that this was a premeditated attack with the intention to murder Jewish children," said Moshe Kantor, president of the European Jewish Congress.

"They will not succeed, the Jews of Europe in general and the Jews of France in particular have a long history of standing firm against hatred and violence," he added.

The Brussels-based Rabbinical Centre of Europe (RCE) said: "It is difficult to believe that the main challenge to European Jewry remains anti-Semitism and threats to their lives."

RCE deputy director Rabbi Aryeh Goldberg added: "This act of barbarity and murder will be met with a Jewish response. We will bury the dead, look after the injured, and we will demand that justice is pursued through the appropriate channels."

Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs John Baird sent a message on his Twitter account Monday morning expressing his "solemn and sincere condolences to those affected by the shootings at Toulouse," as Canada's Jewish community said it shared "the terrible pain" being felt in Toulouse and beyond.

World Jewish Congress Reacts with Horror and Shock at Deadly Attack against Jewish School in France

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0600

World Jewish Congress

Four people, among them three children, died when a man opened fire on a group of students and teachers at a Jewish school in Toulouse, in southern France on Monday morning. They were reportedly a 30-year-old school teacher, his six and three-year-old sons, and a ten-year-old school boy. A 17-year-old boy was badly injured in the attack.

The incident happened on Monday morning at the drop-off point for the nursery- and primary-age children of the Ozar Hatorah school, which is located in the northeast of the city. The gunman escaped from the scene. He was wearing a helmet and fled on a black scooter.

The shooting comes a week after incidents in Toulouse and Montauban in which three people were killed and a fourth injured. The gunman also escaped on a scooter following that attack. The killer was reportedly armed with two weapons, one of which was the same .45 caliber as that fired in the attack on the paratroopers in Montauban. The AFP news agency said the gunman initially used a 9 mm weapon but it jammed so he switched to a .45 calibre gun.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy immediately traveled to Toulouse, together with the president of the French Jewish umbrella organization CRIF, Richard Prasquier. Sarkozy said it was "much too early" to know if there is a definite link. to the other shootings, adding: "Faced with this kind of toll, we can say that the French Republic as a whole has been hit by this appalling tragedy."

The Socialist candidate for the French presidency, François Hollande, condemned the shooting in the strongest terms, saying it was an "anti-Semitic and abhorrent attack." He also traveled to Toulouse to pay his respects to the victims and their families.

Reactions

World Jewish Congress (WJC) President Ronald S. Lauder reacted with horror and shock to the attack, saying: “Today, Jews everywhere in the world are weeping in sorrow and disgust in the face of this despicable terrorist attack. Targeting children is a particularly sick and vile act, and nothing can justify it. This attack is an attack on all of us. We have full confidence that the French authorities will do everything in their power to quickly hunt down the perpetrator of this horrible crime and bring him to justice. Jews in all countries stand shoulder to shoulder with French Jewry. We weep for the victims, and our hearts go out to their families,” Lauder added. The WJC president praised the show of solidarity by senior French politicians in the wake of the attack.

Moshe Kantor, president of the European Jewish Congress, said in a statement: “While many of the details are still emerging, it appears that this was a premeditated attack with the intention to murder Jewish children. We hope the authorities will spare no resources in apprehending the perpetrator. Whoever did this is looking to target the Jewish community at its weakest point, its youth, in the hopes of spreading fear throughout the community. They will not suceed."

Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, president of the Conference of European Rabbis, declared: "There is today an urgent need to ensure that appropriate security measures are put in place at all Jewish institutions in Europe to ensure that the safety of Jews on this continent is not placed in jeopardy."

Claude Guéant, the French interior minister, has ordered security to be tightened around all Jewish schools in the country. France's chief rabbi Gilles Bernheim said he was "horrified" and "stunned" by the attack. The Israeli government said in a first reaction that it trusted the French authorities "to shed full light on this tragedy and bring the perpetrators to justice".

The head of the French Muslim Council, Mohammed Moussaou, expressed the "solidarity of all French Muslims with the Jewish community in France."

France: Toulouse in Lockdown as Police Search For Killer of Jews

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0600

The International Business Times

The president of France Nicolas Sarkozy has condemned the mass murder of four people – including three children – at a Jewish school in Toulouse in southern France.

Putting his re-election campaign temporarily on hold, Sarkozy said the shooting was a "national tragedy" and promised to find the killer or killers responsible. He also called for a minute of silence in all French schools to mourn for the dead.

"We should not back down in the face of terror," Sarkozy said in an appearance outside the school.

"Barbarism, savagery, hate must not win. The [French] Republic is much stronger than that. You cannot murder children like this on the territory of the Republic without being held to account. Today is a day of national tragedy. I want to say to all the leaders of the Jewish community, how close we feel to them. All of France is by their side.”

A gunman passing by on a scooter fired indiscriminately at the Ozar Hatorah Jewish school on Monday.

The British newspaper Daily Telegraph identified the four victims as Rabbi Yonatan Sandler, his two sons, Aryeh and Gavriel, and eight-year-old Miriam Monsonego, the daughter of the school's headmaster, Yaacov Monsonego.

Another person was seriously wounded in the shooting.

Michel Valet, the chief prosecutor at Toulouse, told local media: "[The gunman] shot at everything he could see, children and adults, and some children were chased into the school.”

One father with a child at the school told France’s RTL Radio: "I saw two people dead in front of the school, an adult and a child... Inside, it was a vision of horror, the bodies of two small children. I did not find my son, apparently he fled when he saw what happened. How can they attack something as sacred as a school, attack children only sixty centimeters tall?"

Sarkozy’s principal challenger for the presidency, socialist candidate Francoise Hollande has also suspended his campaign to grieve for the victims in Toulouse.

Meanwhile, French police officials and anti-terrorism specialists are concerned that the shooting at the Jewish school may be linked to the murder last week of three French paratroopers in two separate incidents in the same region of France. In all cases, gunmen drove by in a scooter and motorbike and shot their targets.

"We are struck by the similarities between the modus operandi of today's drama and those last week even if we have to wait to have more elements from the police to confirm this hypothesis," Sarkozy said in Toulouse.

Toulouse is reportedly on “lockdown” as dozens of police fan out over the area to search for the killer. The national government has also ordered upgrades security in Jewish schools and religious buildings across France.

Israel has also condemned the massacre.

"In France today there was a despicable murder of Jews, including small children," Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu told a meeting of his Likud party officials.

"It is too early to determine exactly what the background to the murderous act was, but we certainly cannot rule out the option that it was motivated by violent and murderous anti-Semitism."

In a statement, Israel’s foreign ministry said: " We are horrified by this attack and we trust the French authorities to shed full light on this tragedy and bring the perpetrators of these murders to justice."

Condemnation came from various others quarters as well.

A spokesman for The Vatican, Father Federico Lombardi, told reporters: "The attack in Toulouse against a teacher and three Jewish children is a horrific and heinous act.”

Germany’s foreign minister Guido Westerwelle said in a statement: "I hope the perpetrators are found quickly and are called to account. Anti-Semitism and violence against Jewish institutions or people of Jewish faith have no place in Europe and must be rigorously punished.”

Some Jewish groups in France have blamed the murders on the climate of growing intolerance in the country.

Jonathan Hayoun, the head of the Jewish students union of France (UEJF), said in a statement that "anti-Semitic and racist speech has created a climate of insecurity for Jews in France".

Moshe Kantor, president of the European Jewish Congress, lamented: "While many of the details are still emerging, it appears that this was a premeditated attack with the intention to murder Jewish children. We hope the authorities will spare no resources in apprehending the perpetrator. Whoever did this is looking to target the Jewish community at its weakest point, its youth, in the hopes of spreading fear throughout the community.”

Kantor added: "They will not succeed, the Jews of Europe in general and the Jews of France in particular have a long history of standing firm against hatred and violence. I know as a community French Jewry will send a message of strength and resilience in the face of those who wish to terrorize them. The greatest defense against race-based murder is not by creating higher walls and more effective security systems, but by teaching and imparting tolerance in the classrooms."

France is home to some 700,000 Jews, making it the largest Jewish community in Europe. France also has the continent’s biggest Muslim population, estimated at about 5-million.

After Toulouse Attack: Sarkozy Cancels Campaign Events, Jews Warn Of Rising Anti-Semitism

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0600

JTA

French President Nicolas Sarkozy canceled re-election campaign events following the attack by an unidentified gunman on a Jewish school in Toulouse.

“This is a day of national tragedy because children were killed in cold blood,” Sarkozy said after arriving in Toulouse, a city of 1.1 million in southwestern France. “Barbarity, savagery, cruelty cannot win. Hate cannot win. We will find him.”

French Interior Minister Claude Gueant ordered security to be tightened around all Jewish schools in France after the attack at the Ozar Hatorah School.

The dead are reported to be Rabbi Jonathan Sandler, 30, a dual French and Israeli citizen; the rabbi's 3- and 6-year-old sons; and the 10-year-old daughter of the school's principal. Forensic tests found that the weapon used in the attack at the school was the same one used in a pair of fatal shooting attacks last week targeting off-duty French soldiers in and near Toulouse. The shootings, which also were committed by a gunman on a motorbike, left three soldiers dead and another seriously wounded. The soldiers who were shot were of North African or Caribbean background.

Many of the Jewish groups and leaders who condemned the attack warned of rising anti-Semitism in Europe.

"This is a brazen assault on France and French society, and another telling reminder of the dangers that exist for Jewish communities in today's world,” David Harris, executive director of the American Jewish Committee, said in a statement.

Anti-Defamation League National Director Abraham Foxman noted that the Jewish community of Toulouse has been targeted in the past three years with anti-Semitic acts of violence.

“Whoever did this is looking to target the Jewish community at its weakest point, its youth, in the hopes of spreading fear throughout the community," Moshe Kantor, the president of the European Jewish Congress, said in a statement. "They will not succeed. The Jews of Europe in general and the Jews of France in particular have a long history of standing firm against hatred and violence, and I know as a community French Jewry will send a message of strength and resilience in the face of those who wish to terrorize them."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would do everything to help France track down the killer.

“Today we had a savage crime in France that gunned down French Jews, among them children," Netanyahu said. "It’s too early to say what the precise background for this act of murder is, but I think that we can’t rule out that there was a strong murderous anti-Semitic motive here."

He continued, "I haven’t heard yet a condemnation from any of the U.N. bodies, but I have heard that one such body, the U.N. Human Rights Council, invited on this very day a senior representative of Hamas."

The United States also condemned the attack.

"We were deeply saddened to learn of the horrific attack this morning against the teachers and students of a Jewish school in the French city of Toulouse," said National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of the victims, and we stand with a community in grief."

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor told AFP, "We are horrified by this attack and we trust the French authorities to shed full light on this tragedy and bring the perpetrators of these murders to justice."

Four Reported Dead In Shooting at Jewish School in France

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0600

Cleveland Jewish News

Four people - a teacher and three students – reportedly were shot dead outside a Jewish school in Toulouse, France.

A man riding a motorbike reportedly opened fire Monday morning outside the Ozar Hatorah School, where students were waiting to enter the building at the start of the school day. The shooter then entered the building shooting at students and teachers. He then fled on his motorbike.

Several students also were injured inside the building, according to reports. The dead are reported to be a teacher and his two sons as well as the daughter of the school's principal.

Some 200 students attend the school, according to Israel Radio.

French Interior Minister Claude Gueant ordered security to be tightened around all Jewish schools in France after the attack, the French news agency AFP reported.

Gueant and French President Nicolas Sarkozy traveled toToulouse. Sarkozy called the attack a "national tragedy" and vowed to find the killer

The attack followed the fatal shootings of three off-duty soldiers in and near Toulouse by a gunman on a motorbike over the past week. It was not known if the attacks were connected.

"We are horrified by this attack and we trust the French authorities to shed full light on this tragedy and bring the perpetrators of these murders to justice," Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor told AFP.

“Whoever did this is looking to target the Jewish community at its weakest point, its youth, in the hopes of spreading fear throughout the community," said Moshe Kantor, president of the European Jewish Congress, in a statement. "They will not succeed. The Jews of Europe in general and the Jews of France in particular have a long history of standing firm against hatred and violence, and I know as a community French Jewry will send a message of strength and resilience in the face of those who wish to terrorize them.

"This is a brazen assault on France and French society, and another telling reminder of the dangers that exist for Jewish communities in today's world,” said David Harris, executive director of the American Jewish Committee, in a statement. “We count on French authorities to pursue the investigation vigorously, arrest whoever is involved, and prosecute to the fullest extent of the law, as well as review security at Jewish institutions. We have confidence they will."

The World Observes International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700

Jspace.com

More Countries around the world honored International Holocaust Remembrance Day with talks, concerts, and services.

The theme for this year’s remembrance day, which is on the anniversary of when Soviet troops liberated the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp in 1945, is “Children and the Holocaust.” It is estimated 1.5 million children died during the Nazi-driven atrocity.

In Poland, 30 Holocaust survivors were among those who participated in a holy mass at a church in Oswiecim, the town where Auschwitz was located.

In Germany, Bundestag President Norbert Lammert urged his fellow countrymen to fight against anti-Semitism after a recent survey found 20 percent of Germans harbor anti-Semitic feelings.

Lammert said that was “exactly 20 percent too much.”

The German survey also found that close to 20 percent of German citizens between 18 to 30 did not know where Auschwitz was, and 33 percent did not know what country the death camp was in.

Several other leaders around the world released statements today, including United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, who said that young people need to be “aware of the important historical events, terrible as they may be, so that they can learn early on of the importance of their words and attitudes towards those who are different from them."

United States President Barack Obama said that America will “stand strong against all those who would commit atrocities, against the resurgence of anti-Semitism, and against hatred in all its forms."

European Parliament President Martin Schulz said he felt a “specific responsibility” as a German to educate others about the Holocaust.

"The German people of today is not guilty [of the Holocaust], but responsible for keeping the memory alive," Schultz said. "For me, this means that whoever is representing the German nation has one important duty-to take into account our responsibility for the Jews in the world."

European Jewish Congress President Moshe Kantor, who hosted Schulz and others at the EJC’s event, asked all of Europe “to recognize evil and prevent its reemergence.”

"If we don’t remember it, and don’t study it, and don’t learn about it, we cannot learn from it; we can never be confident we can recognize it and stop its emergence in time," Kantor said, adding that “we are witnessing a rise in anti-Semitism.”

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said that his country was “determined” to pass down knowledge of the Holocaust to new generations.

"While the direct witnesses of the Holocaust have, for the most part, already died, the international community has a duty to keep its memory alive so that humankind never experiences such a tragedy again," he said. "This duty to remember is a collective responsibility. We must reject all forms of trivialization. By remembering the Holocaust we are reminded of the barbarity of which man is capable, but we are also reminded of the acts of resistance and solidarity between human beings faced with the horror of extermination."

Belgium, who in 2012 assumed the presidency of the International Task Force for Holocaust Remembrance Education and Research, honored Remembrance Day in the city of Mechelen at a ceremony attended by President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy, Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo, the wife of Nazi criminals hunter Serge Klarsfeld, and Julius Berman, the chairman of the Claims Conference in New York.

New Zealand was technically the first country in the world to honor Remembrance Day, thanks to its time zone. There was a ceremony at the Jewish Cemetery at Makara, as well as an official parliamentary event.

In Britain, a survey taken by the country’s Holocaust Memorial Day Trust found that over half of respondents believe social media must take more action to fight discrimination. 39% said they had used social networks to speak up about something they cared about. 41% said they had intervened in a case of online bullying, while close to 25% said they had done nothing when observing online discrimination.

The trust’s theme this year was “Speak Up, Speak Out.” Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams issued a statement on the subject, urging people to protect the rights of “people like us and also for people not like us.”

"Holocaust Memorial Day brings back to our minds the appalling consequences of a situation when people don't speak for their neighbor and don't speak for the stranger, when people are concerned for their own security, their own comfort zones. And when we look back on that tragic history, one of the things that prevents it from being a totally dark night is the presence of some of those who were willing to speak for strangers and to take risks alongside strangers,” he said.

Prime Minister David Cameron led a group of British officials in signing the Holocaust Education Trust’s Book of Commitment in the House of Commons, signifying the British politicians’ commitment to fighting all types of prejudice.

In the ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Mea Shearim in Jerusalem, a small group of Holocaust survivors attended their weekly meeting to discuss the Holocaust. This meeting is the first of its kind, as the ultra-Orthodox have always declined to participate in Israel’s Holocaust ceremonies each spring, ignoring the two-minute air raid siren that halts all activity in the country.

“We don’t come to a standstill once a year, we mark the Holocaust each day in our prayers,’’ said Rabbi Benjamin Kovalsky, the meeting’s organizer told the Associated Press. “The approach is different. This meeting is our air raid siren. Every week we deliver a slap to Hitler with the very fact that we are here.’’

“We stayed alive. We survived. How could this have happened without the almighty?’’ said Alex Seidenfeld, an 82-year-old survivor, when asked the question of how one could still believe in God after experiencing the Holocaust. “The almighty knows what he is doing. He has a plan that we sometimes don’t understand.’’

Elsewhere in Jeruslaem, the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum hosted an exhibit of portraits created by Jewish artists. “Last Portrait: Painting for Posterity” features over 200 pictures documenting Jews living in ghettos and Nazi death camps during World War II.

"The exhibition testifies to the tremendous creative drive that moved Jewish artists from different backgrounds to diligently draw entire series of portraits, despite appalling living conditions and lacking crucial tools of the trade," a Yad Vashem spokesman said. “With just a few lines of pencil or charcoal on paper, the artists managed to breathe life into the images of people in the shadow of death."

Israeli Vice Prime Minister Silvan Shalom published his thoughts in Israel Hayom, writing that International Holocaust Remembrance Day "represents a sweeping rejection of any effort to deny the Holocaust."

"Anti-Semitism was and is still, pure evil. It seems that many in the free world already understand that this type of malicious hatred, is no longer just the problem of the Jewish people, or the state of Israel, alone. Every citizen in the world is, in fact, an enemy of the destructive spirit of hatred; therefore it is appropriate that every free nation recognize, in advance, the dangers of such hostility and the harsh future implications of it," he wrote.

Earlier in the week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a speech at the Special Knesset session marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

"Against this background, I would like to ask you: can we say with certainty that the world will not sit silently by in the face of renewed efforts to destroy our people, the Jewish people-again, without detracting from the importance of the joining together today of leading countries in the international community to mark the Holocaust of the Jewish people 70 years ago. But because it is today, I must ask how the world responds to the calls for the destruction of our people that are heard today," Netanyahu said.

He continued: "Seventy years after the Holocaust, many people in the world keep silent despite the statements made in Iran to erase Israel from the face of the Earth. Many people keep silent despite the calls made by the Hizbollah to destroy the State of Israel and despite their murderous acts. Many people keep silent despite the calls by the Hamas to murder Jews wherever they may be."

The prime minister praised the European Union’s decision to place sanctions on Iranian oil exports, but said Israel will do whatever it has to in order to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

“However, specifically on this day of international cooperation, of this important achievement vis-à-vis Iran, I would like to remind us all the main lesson of the Holocaust of our people," he said. "In the end, with regard to threats to our very existence, we cannot abandon our future to the hands of others. With regard to our fate, our duty is to rely on ourselves alone."

Holocaust Remembrance Day Marked At European Parliament in Brussels

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700

World Jewish Congress

International Holocaust Remembrance Day has been marked in the European Parliament (EP) at a ceremony organized by the European Jewish Congress (EJC). EP President Martin Schulz said during the special session: "As a German who was born after World War II I feel that I have a very specific responsibility. Because what was decided at the so-called Wannsee Conference - the extermination of the Jewish people - was done in the name of the German people," Schulz told the 500 guests at the ceremony in Brussels, adding: “The German people of today is not guilty [for the Holocaust], but responsible for keeping the memory alive... For me, this means that whoever is representing the German nation has one important duty: to take into account our responsibility for the Jews in the world...The Holocaust must always be fresh in our minds and souls, in the conscience of humanity, and should serve as an incontrovertible warning for all time."

Schulz said that he had decided that from 2012 Holocaust Remembrance Day will become an official annual event of the European Parliament. During the ceremony, European Jewish Congress (EJC) President Moshe Kantor called on Europe "to recognize evil and prevent its re-emergence.” Kantor said: “If we don’t remember it, and don’t study it, and don’t learn about it, we cannot learn from it; we can never be confident we can recognize it and stop its emergence in time," Kantor told the audience, which also included Israel’s minister for public diplomacy and Diaspora affairs, Yuli Edelstein, as well as several EU commissoners and ambassadors. Justice Gabriel Bach, who was the senior prosecutor at the trial of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann in Jerusalem in 1961, also gave a moving speech.

Earlier, at joint press conference with Minister Edelstein, Moshe Kantor applauded Monday's EU decision to impose an oil embargo on Iran, calling it an "historic move." He urged the European Union to pursue more sanctions against Iran and called for a complete boycott on the Iranian economy. Edelstein warned that “we will not live under threat, we will not beg for compassion and wait for another conference with abated breath.”

After the ceremony in the European Parliament, Kantor was awarded the French Legion of Honor by the country’s ambassador in Brussels, Philippe Etienne, for his work in defending the rights of minorities, promoting interfaith relations, leading the fight against racism and anti-Semitism, and pushing for a more tolerant Europe.

Netanyahu warns of Iranian nuclear threat

In Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, citing the lessons of the Holocaust and the danger a nuclear-armed Iran, said that Israel must not shy from acting alone to thwart any threat to its existence. He praised a European Union decision to place sanctions on Iranian oil exports. "But on this day of international cooperation and an important achievement against Iran, I want to remind everyone of the main lesson of the Holocaust against our people - that ultimately when there is threat to our existence, we must not leave our fate in the hands of others," he said. "When it is a question of our fate, it is our obligation to rely only on ourselves."

European Parliament Marks International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700

Ynetnews

The European Parliament marked the International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Tuesday. President Martin Schulz said during the special session: "As a German, I feel a responsibility for what has happened in my country, even though I was born afterwards. My main duty as a politician is to ensure that 'never again'."

During the ceremony, European Jewish Congress (EJC) President Moshe Kantor was awarded the French order Legion of Honor. Kantor urged the European Union to pursue more sanctions against Iran and called for a complete boycott on the Iranian economy.

The New President of the European Parliament Opens International Holocaust Remembrance Day Ceremony by Stressing the German ‘Specific Responsibility’

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700

European Jewish Press

The newly elected President of the European Parliament, German Martin Schulz, paid tribute to the memory of the six millions Jews who were killed in the Holocaust, during a special ceremony at the seat of the EU institution in Brussels.

"As a German representative who was born after World War II , I feel that I have a very specific responsibility. Because what was decided at the so-called Wannsee conference, the extermination of the Jewish people, was done in the name of the German people," he said at the event organized Tuesday by the European Jewish Congress to mark the International Holocaust remembrance Day organized by the European Jewish Congress.

This year marks 70 years since the Wannsee Conference and 50 years since the end of the trial of Adolf Eichmann.

"I am a representative of the German people and the German people of today is not guilty but responsible to keep the memory and to never forget what happened. For me, this means whoever is representing today the German nation has one first duty: to take into account our responsibility for the Jews in the world."

"My first duty as a German representative and as President of this parliament is to say: never more," he added.

"Whatever happens in the world today regarding anti-Semitism or actions against the existence of the Jewish community or the state of Israel, we are the first who have to defend our Jewish friends," Schultz said.

"The Holocaust must always be fresh in our minds and souls, in the conscience of humanity, and should serve as an incontrovertible warning for all time."

Schulz has decided that from next yar the Holocaust Remembrance Day which commemorates the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp on 27 January 1945 ill become an official annual event of the European Parliament.

During the ceremony, European Jewish Congress President Moshe Kantor called on Europe "to recognize evil and prevent its reemergence."

"If we don’t remember it, and don’t study it, and don’t learn about it, we cannot learn from it; we can never be confident we can recognize it and stop its emergence in time," Kantor told the audience which also included Israel’s Minister for Public Diplomacy and Diaspora, Yuli Edelstein, as well as several EU Commissoners and ambassadors.

The ceremony, which began with 'El Maleh Rahamim', the Jewish memorial prayer, was marked by moving testimonies from Holocaust survivor Chana Bar-Yesha, who lives in Israel, Andrée Geulen-Herscovici, a Belgian Righteous Among the Nations who saved around 4,000 Jewish children during the Holocaust, and Justice Gabriel Bach who was the senior prosecutor at the Adolf Eichmann trial in Jerusalem in 1961.

Earlier, at at joint press conference with Minister Edelstein, Moshe Kantor applauded Monday's EU decision to impose an oil embargo on Iran, calling it an "historic move."

He also said that "we are witnessing a rise in anti-Semitism" in Europe. He mentioned in particular Sweden which, he said, "has become the center of anti-Semitism." "In the city of Malmö, for example, Jews have disappeared because of this situation and the Swedish government doesn't react."

International Holocaust Remembrance Day to Be Marked Next Week in the European Parliament

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700

European Jewish Press

International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which commemorates every year the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp (27 January 1945), will be marked next Tuesday in the European Parliament in Brussels during a special event.

This event is co-organized by the European Jewish Congress (EJC) and several organizations including B’nai B’rith, the European Council of Jewish Communities, the Conference of European Rabbis, the European Jewish Community Center and European Coalition for Israel.

The new President of the European Parliament, German Martin Schulz will make the opening remarks at this event which will also be attended by Israel’s Minister for Public Diplomacy and Diaspora, Yuli Edelstein, Gabriel Bach, who was prosecutor in the Adolf Eichmann trial, Holocaust survivors, Rigtheous Among the Nations, as well as EU officials and ambassadors.

Belgium Design Duo Alters Holocaust-Themed Fence

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700

The Jerusalem Post

A Belgiun design duo altered their design for a fence evoking the Buchenwald concentration camp following uproar by various groups in Europe, design website fastcodedesign.com reported Tuesday.

Job Smeets and Nynke Tyangel, from Antwerp, designed a fence that consists of "two chimneys joined by an arch of smoke with a bell hanging from the middle."

To cap it off, the design pair, called Studio Job, inscribed the bell with the words "To Each His Own," which translated to German are the words that adorned the Buchenwald entrance itself.

According to the report, the project sparked public outrage across Europe. French European Jewish Congress president Moshe Kantor slammed the work, saying it trivialized the Holocaust.

As a result of the outspoken criticism, the artists announced that they would alter the "original plans for the gate" inspired by the largest concentration camp on German soil.

"We thoroughly regret it if this has caused upset and grief with parties affected by this, that has in no way been our intention," Studio Job wrote to fastcodedesign.com.

International Holocaust Memorial Day Marked By Unique Event in the European Parliament in Brussels

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0700

European Jewish Press

The Israeli Ministry of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs, in cooperation with the presidency of the European Parliament, the European Jewish Congress and the Holocaust Memorial of Yad Vashem, holds on Tuesday in Brussels an event to mark International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust.

This event, the first of its kind, will take place at the European Parliament.

January 27 marks the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi concentration camp

Israeli Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Minister Yuli Edelstein, European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek, European Jewish Congress President Moshe Kantor and Holocaust survivor and Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, will be among the participants.

As part of the program, memorial candles will be lit by Jewish Holocaust survivors from Europe and Israel.

The main feature of the event will be a unique concert by the Ra'anana Symphonette Orchestra in order to present its special Holocaust memorial program titled "Alma Rose – from Vienna to Auschwitz."

The musical program tells the story of Alma Rose, a composer and conductor who established an orchestra in Auschwitz and died there in 1944.

A member of the orchestra will play a special violin that belonged to a Jew who died at Auschwitz and which remains as a symbol of the culture of humanity amidst the horror.

European Jewish Leader to Warn Against Re-Emergence of ‘Extremist Forces’ In Europe

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Imams, Rabbis in Brussels to Improve Muslim-Jewish Ties

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0700

The Jerusalem Post

A delegation of Muslim and Jewish religious leaders from Europe met with European Council President Herman Van Rompuy in Brussels on Monday to share their initiatives for bettering the relations between the communities, as well as legislation to ensure the rights of the religious groups in Europe.

The meeting with the president was part of a daylong gathering of some 50 city and state rabbis and imams from Western Europe, brought together for panel discussions on the condition, but primarily the future, of relations between Muslims and Jews in Europe, in a joint effort by the New York-based Foundation for Ethnic Understanding (FFEU), the World Jewish Congress (WJC) and the European Jewish Congress (EJC).

EJC head Moshe Kantor stressed in his opening remarks how education was a key element in bringing about reconciliation between the groups, and how legislation was key in ensuring tolerance toward minority groups. Kantor, who brought The Jerusalem Post to the event, reiterated his call for EU countries’ need to immediately adopt the Framework Decision on Combating Racism and Xenophobia.

Since the condition of the relations between the faith groups differ from country to country, imams and rabbis from the UK, France, Germany and Italy presented, in turn, the key issues and action they were taking to face the challenges of their specific communities.

Such challenges are influenced by endless factors, such as the backgrounds of their flocks, their socioeconomic standings and the degree of integration into mainstream society.

Later, the participants attended a kosher-halal working lunch with senior officials at the European Commission, and met with Van Rompuy, who expressed his support for the group’s efforts and called for a “revolution of moderation” in religious communities in Europe.

In a private meeting with Van Rompuy, Kantor expressed his concern over the condition of some Jewish communities, such as Malmö, Sweden, where Jews are feeling forced to leave the city.

“If Jews are being driven out of parts of Europe once again, this does not bode well for the future of the continent,” Kantor, who co-chairs the European Council for Tolerance and Reconciliation, told the president.

He also suggested that the EU impose on its members and officials a code of behavior that would sanction those who made anti-Semitic and racist remarks.

In addition, Kantor called on the EU to end the freeze on its upgrade in relations with Israel.

“If we hope to live in a free and peaceful world, we need to bolster the only democracy in the Middle East, especially at a time when its mere presence is challenged,” he said, referring to the threats from Iran.

Before the day wrapped up with Hanukka candle-lighting and a dinner with the Brussels Diplomatic Corps, the draft of a common statement calling for closer cooperation between the two communities in Europe was presented. The statement expressed a wish to put an end to “the mutual fear and resentment precipitated in large part by the conflict in the Middle East, which all too often in recent years has caused violence between members of our two communities.”

This campaign of interfaith dialogue and understanding, the statement continued, “will strengthen the forces of moderation in both communities and serve as a check to voices preaching extremism and violence, that are a danger to the moderate majorities in both communities, and to our efforts to build a united, free and pluralistic future for Europe,” while taking steps “to ensure that Jews and Muslims are able to practice our respective faiths fully and unimpeded by intrusive, discriminatory and unfair governmental regulations.”

It concluded, “We commit ourselves to successfully developing good Muslim-Jewish relations in our communities and across Europe, thereby showing our two peoples and the larger societies in which we live that Muslims and Jews can live and work together fruitfully for the betterment of all.”

FFEU President and WJC Vice President Rabbi Marc Schneier called Monday’s event “a promising beginning.”

“Today, we have hopefully kick-started a movement that will spread across Europe,” he said. “The recipe really is quite simple: Our two communities must focus more on what unites us than what separates us. We also must restrain the radicals within our own ranks and make sure they don’t gain the upper hand.”

Schneier also noted the great importance of the different religious groups expressing empathy with one another, noting as a moving example the prayers that Imam Dr. Abduljalil Sajid, chairman of the Muslim Council for Religious and Racial Harmony, offered in his address for the victims of the recent forest fire in the Carmel.

As one of the participants said, “there is definitely room for hope. Five years ago, a meeting such as today’s would never have taken place.”

EJC President Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor Expresses Condolences upon the Loss of Prof. Alfred Donath

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Dear friends and colleagues,

I deeply regret to inform you that our close friend and associate ALFRED DONATH, President of the Swiss Jewish Community and President of the Chabad Community in Geneva, has passed away at the age of 78.

Without a doubt Prof. Donath’s family – his wife Léa, children, and his many grandchildren – have suffered an irreplaceable loss. We, too, are orphans without him, for in Prof. Donath we found a true friend who was single-heartedly committed to our common cause of fighting anti-Semitism in all its forms, promoting our best traditions and contributing to the prosperous future of our young people.

I worked closely with Prof. Donath in the European Jewish Congress for many years, and he always offered friendly support and a principled approach to any matters related to our common cause. I would like to note that Prof. Donath’s remarkable knowledge and deep understanding of our traditions earned him high renown among those who were lucky enough to attend Jewish events with him. I had the honour of always sitting next to him at Synagogue, where I felt his support and received his guidance and explanations.

My personal loss is very acute. We will always remember you, our dear friend, and promise that your Memory will live in our hearts and minds forever. We will do everything we can so that your family feels our care, and I believe that G-d will bring you as close to Him as your goodness and kind deeds deserve.

Moshe Kantor,
President of European Jewish Congress,
President of the World Holocaust Forum Foundation

European Jewish Congress President calls for urgent cooperation with Israeli Government against the Israel delegitimisation campaign in Europe

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0700

EJC President Kantor to FM Lieberman: We are working intensively on EU Goldstone resolution

(Tuesday, 2^nd March 2010) – Today, European Jewish Congress President Moshe Kantor met with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman to discuss the latest events involving the Goldstone Report and the European Union and the systematic delegitimisation of Israel in parts of Europe.

Tomorrow, the political groups in the European Parliament will meet to discuss and debate their views on the Goldstone Report, and on the 10^th of March will vote on a resolution in the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

The European Jewish Congress has been working intensely to shape the language of the resolution, by meeting with presidents of the political groups and key parliamentarians. “It is vital that all of the European parliamentarians understand not just the facts, but the implications of a one-sided resolution,” European Jewish Congress Dr. Moshe Kantor said. “A negative resolution could affect Israeli-European relations, especially at a time when there are so many regional issues of great importance that require Israel and Europe working closely together, most notably Iran.”

Another area that the EJC is heavily involved with is the systematic and orchestrated attempt to delegitimize Israel, especially in Europe. Kantor offered Lieberman the assistance and cooperation of the EJC and its many institutions to fight this public relations battle.

“We are witnessing a strong and organized anti-Israeli campaign, aimed at delegitimising Israel in Europe. This campaign is initiated by Muslim and pro-Palestinian organizations and indirectly nations, who seek to use public opinion and political tools,” Kantor told Lieberman. “Academic, commercial and union boycotts of Israel on the one hand and the issuing of arrest warrants against Israeli officials are all part of the same campaign. ‘Anti-Israel Apartheid Week’ is just another manifestation of this nefarious operation.

“We are trying to fight each eruption individually not understanding that there is an organized force active behind them all, which we must confront immediately.“

The EJC is working to strengthen the connection between Europe and the State of Israel which is natural due to common shared values and culture. “The contribution of European Jewry was crucial in shaping modern European society and the very real dangers facing Israel and European Jewry today are the same facing Europe as a whole,” Kantor said.

The European Jewish Congress is the democratically elected representative body of European Jewish communities.

Krakow Hosts the Third “Let My People Live!” International Forum

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0700

On January 27, 2010, Krakow hosted the third “Let My People Live!” International Forum to mark the day 65 years ago when the Red Army liberated the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp. The Forum was organised by the European Jewish Congress, the World Holocaust Forum Foundation and Yad Vashem – the Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Authority.

The third “Let My People Live!” Forum was held under the honorary patronage of President of Poland Lech Kaczyński, President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek and the first Permanent President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy.

The Forum was the first step in a series of events scheduled for 2010 to celebrate victory in World War II. It has become an important political platform to remind the world and draw public attention to the unprecedented joint efforts of anti-Hitler coalition to save Europe from Nazism.

The Third International Forum was attended by nearly 100 deputies from the European Parliament led by Jerzy Buzek, other representatives of European institutions and official delegations from all over the world. Auschwitz-Burkenau liberators Ivan Martynushkin and Yakov Vinnichenko were the Forum’s guests of honour.

President of the European Jewish Congress Viatcheslav Kantor, President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek, Chairman of the European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation Aleksander Kwaśniewski, Yad Vashem Chairman Rabbi Meir Lau, and President of the World Jewish Congress Ronald Lauder all addressed the forum in person.

U.S. President Barack Obama and President of France Nicolas Sarkozy sent recorded messages to the Forum’s participants, calling on the international community to remember the tragedies of the past and saying that their memory should determine today’s policies.

The Forum’s mission is to build a link between the past and the future and prevent new tragedies similar to those that humankind has already faced in its history.

“Like people, historical memory tends to die, disappear... We, the people of the twenty-first century, bear an immense responsibility to the millions of those who were burnt in the furnaces of the death camps and who died in WWII. We must keep the memory of these tragedies alive forever and prevent their recurrence,” said Viatcheslav Kantor, president of the European Jewish Congress and president and founder of the World Holocaust Forum Foundation.

Speaking of the escalation of xenophobia, extremism and anti-Semitism in Europe, Kantor underscored that “[i]t is the responsibility of political leaders to ensure secure tolerance in Europe.”

“Tolerance is the basis for future development in any type of human activity. Innovation is impossible without tolerance, but tolerance should have its limits,” continued the EJC President. “Unlimited tolerance impedes progress and poses a major threat to global security.”

In conclusion Kantor voiced an initiative to establish a Pan-European University of Global Security and Tolerance designed to study each case of intolerance and seek to integrate human experience and create a classification for such instances.

“The University should create the foundation for formulating a legitimate roadmap for Europe and the entire world. To this end, we have invited European parliamentarians to this Forum. President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek has granted his patronage to the event. I hope the University will be a mutual project of the European Union, Russia and the United States,” said Kantor.

“Soviet soldiers shed their blood fighting the Nazis. We will always be grateful to them for that,” said Jerzy Buzek in his address.

“Today, we as Europeans have a crucial task to remember and learn… Young people must not forget the tragedies of the past. The more distant those awful events become, the more time elapses, the more sensitive our memory must be,” Buzek concluded.

RF President Dmitry Medvedev and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met in Moscow with an official delegation from the European Jewish Congress

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0700

On November 24-26, 2009 members of the European Jewish Congress (EJC) Executive Committee met with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow.

The participants discussed key challenges currently facing the European Community.

During the discussion with Minister Lavrov on November 24, the parties brought up a number of issues, including fighting xenophobia, racism and anti-Semitism, promoting tolerance in Europe, furthering disarmament and preventing nuclear catastrophe, and the need for preserving the historical truth about World War II and memories of past tragedies.

Minister Lavrov said, “We have a positive relationship with the European Jewish Congress on several levels and appreciate our cooperation. For next year we are planning to hold several joint events. First and foremost we are going to commemorate the series of memorial dates associated with the 65^th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.”

On November 26 Russian President Dimitry Medvedev received a senior delegation from the European Jewish Congress (EJC). In his speech President Medvedev touched on matters of fighting anti-Semitism and xenophobia and the expansion of cross-cultural and interfaith dialogue in Russia and Europe.

In his turn, Dr. Moshe Kantor, President of the EJC, expressed his gratitude to the members of the Russian government for their continuous and comprehensive support of the EJC’s initiatives and projects and extended his appreciation to President Medvedev “[f]or promoting tolerance and reconciliation, especially among the young people of the largest country in Europe.”

During the meeting with the Russian President Dr. Kantor introduced a number of initiatives targeted at defending human rights, fighting xenophobia and anti-Semitism in modern society, strengthening tolerance in Europe and preventing nuclear catastrophe.

“The synergy between the dual concepts of security and tolerance is an unconditional requirement in today’s world [...] In the current situation, Russia, the EU and the US need to establish a watchdog agency to counteract humanitarian threats in order to lay the groundwork for secure tolerance as an ongoing programme of practical measures,” Dr. Kantor said.

He continued, “The establishment of the an All-European University of Secure Tolerance in Central Europe may become a platform for a new political doctrine of international security.”

The EJC delegation approached President Medvedev with a proposal to officially declare January 27 a day in commemoration of the Red Army’s liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp in order to reinforce recognition of the decisive role of the Soviet Union in the victory over Nazism.

Russian Foreign Minister Meets with EJC Delegation

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0700

On Tuesday, November 24, Russian foreign affairs minister Sergei Lavrov met with an official delegation from the European Jewish Congress (EJC) led by its president Viatcheslav Kantor.

The meeting discussed key issues facing the European community today.

Commenting on the versatile cooperation between Russia and EJC, Mr Lavrov said, “We have close ties at various levels and we appreciate our interaction. Next year we are going to hold several joint events. First of all, there will be a series of memorable dates marking 65 years since the end of World War II.”

EJC president Kantor thanked Mr Lavrov for its ongoing, long-standing support of the EJC’s initiatives and projects and expressed hope for further productive cooperation.

“The authority of the Russian Federation has always been of special importance to the European Jewish Congress. For me as a Russian national who for the first time ever took the helm of this influential international organisation, it is essential that the leadership of our country pay close attention to the issues of human rights, fighting anti-Semitism and xenophobia and the threat caused by the Iranian nuclear programme,” Mr Kantor said, commenting on the outcome of talks with Mr Lavrov.

At the meeting Mr Kantor is expected to voice key initiatives and proposals aimed at advancing tolerance and preventing nuclear catastrophe.

EJC leadership will hold a press conference for Russian and Western media on November 26 at 3:00 pm at RIA Novosti news agency.

Background: The EJC Executive Committee led by Mr Kantor met with then-President of Russia Vladimir Putin on October 10, 2007. The two discussed issues of anti-Semitism and xenophobia, as well as tools to strengthen tolerance and mutual respect.

Vladimir Putin commended the EJC’s initiative to design a pan-European action plan to fight extremism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism, saying that the Congress “[g]reatly helps international organisations and bodies in their efforts to promote the ideas of tolerance and mutual understanding.”

Statement of the President of the International Luxembourg Forum on Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe Viatcheslav Kantor on the occasion of the International Day of Peace

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Today, September 21, the world celebrates the International Day of Peace, established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1981 to remind people about the importance of peacekeeping and stability, ending wars and repudiation of violence on Earth.

“This day is another reason to recall the significance of disarmament and combating nuclear proliferation, extremism, terrorism and xenophobia,” said President of the International Luxembourg Forum on Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe Viatcheslav Kantor.

“Today, the world is more fragile than it was yesterday. Proliferation of weapons of mass destruction has become an even greater threat than it was during the Cold War. In our modern world, proliferation is intensified by the challenges of terrorism, extremism and separatism, which pose a threat to the existence of countries and regions and even the existence of the world as a whole,” Kantor added.

One hundred days ago, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched the WMD – We Must Disarm campaign to fight the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and promote disarmament and non-violence in the world. In particular, the United Nations Secretary-General said: “Unless we vigorously work for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, we will continue to face threats from existing nuclear weapons, as well as additional risks that more states, even terrorists, might acquire and deploy such weapons, potentially annihilating millions of people.”

A few weeks afterwards, during U.S. President Barak Obama’s official visit to Moscow on July 6-8, 2009, Russian and U.S. leaders reiterated their commitment to nuclear disarmament and international security.

“Our shared task today is to keep working for disarmament and non-proliferation, and to unite efforts for fighting against extremism and terrorism,” Kantor said. “Unfortunately, some states and organisations are still posing a threat to the global community. They irresponsibly believe that humanity will calmly accept their abuse and dramatic declarations.”

“Iran and North Korea are still major global troublemakers. Notwithstanding UNSC demands, their nuclear programmes cause instability both in the Middle East and Northeast Asia, as well as around the globe. The Iranian leadership’s ongoing threats addressed to Israel undermine the basics of global security built on principles of its mutual enhancement and the commitment to repudiate threat or use of force. It is time to stop setting up one nation against another, no matter where in the world they are, Europe, the U.S., Russia or the Middle East,” the Luxembourg Forum President concluded.

European Jewish group calls on EU to take ‘courageous step’ against Goldstone report

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0600

European Jewish Press

PARIS - The European Jewish Congress (EJC) has called on the European Union to coordinate an attempt to reject the Goldstone Commission report on Gaza when it reaches the UN Human Rights Council.

EJC President Moshe Kantor expressed outrage at the high level of politicization during the whole process culminating in the report.

The report by a UN find-finding commission chaired by south African Judge Richard Goldstone said both Israel and Palestinian groups committed war crimes and possible crimes against humanity during the 22-day operation in December-January that Israel launched in response to rocket fire from the Palestinian enclave.

“From its original mandate this commission has shown itself to be nothing more than an exercise in demonization of one nation, namely Israel,” Kantor said.

“We call on the European Union, particularly those nations represented on the UN Human Rights Council to unequivocally reject the report just as they rejected the original resolution and mandate.”

The one-sided nature of the initial resolution was the reason it was not supported by many states, including Canada, Japan, Switzerland and the European Union, the EJC stressed.

The European Jewish umbrella group called called on them "to once again take a courageous stand against the report."

Several European nations are represented on the Council including the United Kingdom, Italy and France.

“This report places at risk any decent nation who wishes to fight and eliminate terror and will jeopardize the efforts of many European armies defending our continent around the world from the ravages of the ever increasing terrorist threat,” Kantor said.

“The placing of Hamas, listed as a terrorist organization by the European Union, on an equal footing with a democratic nation like Israel in the report is outrageous.”

“Good, decent and civilized nations must stand up to the bullying tactics of the initiators of the commission, like Cuba, Syria and Somalia,” Kantor continued.

“If Europe and like-minded nations do not reject the report when it arrives for discussion at the UN Human Rights Council then it will hammer the final nail in the coffin in an organization whose lofty mission has never been met and this can only be bad for those truly in need of a human-rights monitoring body.”

The European Jewish Congress will lobby the European nations represented on the UN Human Rights Council to reject the Goldstone commission report.

Viatcheslav Kantor: In Terms Of Its Culture Of Tolerance Bulgaria Excels Many EU Countries

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Focus News Agency

European Jewish Congress president Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor paid a visit to Bulgaria to attend the 100th anniversary of the consecration of the Sofia synagogue. Mr. Kantor spoke for Focus News Agency about tolerance, about the lessons from the Second World War and nuclear proliferation disarmament.

FOCUS: Let’s start with the reason for your visit to Sofia – the hundredth anniversary of Sofia synagogue consecration. What message is this celebration intended to send out?

Viatcheslav Kantor: This is the fundamental question. Bulgaria is one of the youngest EU members but in certain aspects like culture, Bulgaria excels many EU countries. One of the key issues Bulgaria has greatly contributed to is the culture of tolerance. There is no other capital city in the European Union where a synagogue, a mosque and Christian temples co-exist in peace. Of course one may call it architecture but it is also a reflection of the spirit of tolerance in the country. Sofia synagogue is 100 years old. The synagogue that was once launched by a Bulgarian monarch is now being restored with the full support of a government following not the socialist but the capitalist way of development. Regimes change but the spirit of tolerance in Bulgaria remains strong. This is a great achievement, a great heritage that is difficult to ponder.

FOCUS: 1 September marked 70 years from the outbreak of the Second World War. What should never be forgotten? What lessons did the war teach humanity?

Viatcheslav Kantor: People perceive the nature of things when disaster strikes. People somehow start to see the future and to understand what is important and what is not. Unfortunately this does not last long enough and then those lessons remain only in history books. There are two types of values – spiritual and material. Following catastrophes spiritual values prevail but only to yield later to material values. Due to the complexes of the First World War the world did not recognize the danger ahead. Thus the Nazi regime and the Holocaust took place. At that time some wrong culture of tolerance prevailed in Europe and in the world as a whole – tolerance to a criminal regime. Tolerance is a subtle art that needs to be carefully introduced into society. Its development must be well defined and the limits of such development must be set.

Currently we see a similar situation by EU countries to Iran’s nuclear armament. Why is this? Do you think no one perceives the danger there? Of course, a long time has passed since the last disaster, 70 years from the start of the Second World War and once again spiritual values have succumbed to material values. This is the same lesson. Europe is cooperating with Iran, 6,000 European companies are cooperating daily with Iran and the biggest number is that of German companies. This is the same Germany that has overlooked the lessons of the First and the Second world wars.

FOCUS: The word has been worrying about Iran’s nuclear program for several years now. How is this matter going to be solved? Could there be another war? And if so, what would be the consequences?

Viatcheslav Kantor: All sanctions imposed so far have been but meaningless noise to Iran. The UN has passed several absolutely strict resolutions that are not being complied with. Economic sanctions must give way to harsher measures including military sanctions for violators in compliance with the legal regulations of the UN. But what is it that hinders us – unawareness of history’s lessons.

Is there any danger of a new war – no doubt there is such danger. The thing is that Iran will not strike first as that would expose it to a counter strike. I think the Iranian government’s scenario is different. What is Iran aspiring to – regional dominance in the Near East through a policy of threatening. This policy of threatening concerns Europe, the USA, other countries. How come the Iranian government is keeping all in fear? They have a design for a nuclear head, they probably have enough material for one or two nuclear bombs acquired on the black market – about 20 kilos of enriched uranium but they do not have the technology to implement mass production of nuclear weapons. The latter goal requires highly developed technological and industrial potential. What they have is something more dangerous, which remains outside the vision of international community. Iran has an absolutely vertically integrated terrorist organization – Hezbollah. Hezbollah is not only present in Lebanon. It is an organization with very serious ambitions. But Hezbollah does not exist by itself. It is a child, a financial product of Iran and this is why I consider the current Iranian government is no different than the criminals convicted in Nurnberg. These are international criminals, who have established a state-run terrorist organization threatening the world. Should we wait for them to strike first? The task of the Jewish organizations is to state our vision. The Diaspora everywhere must speak about threats – common threats exposing not just Jews but all people.

FOCUS: Bulgaria saved its Jews during the Second World War and Bulgarians are tolerant people but even here anti-Semitism and xenophobia continue to cause serious problems. What is your idea about the ways in which any society should handle these problems?

Viatcheslav Kantor: The EU could undertake a fundamental decision to establish a university of tolerance with branches in all EU capitals. This is not like political economy, it is not scientific communism, this is not history of the communist party but history of tolerance, the lessons of tolerance, the limits of tolerance. Such science, as it needs to be a science, will cover all human activities starting from legislation and all the way to justice administration and culture. It must cover all aspects of humanity. Then it will become an unconditional good and a strong basis for economic prosperity of every country.

FOCUS: Representatives of the Jewish community in Bulgaria refer to the phenomenon of “virtual anti-Semitism” – i.e. people, who do not know any Jews and are not acquainted with the Jewish culture but have read something in the internet and have established negative attitudes. What is the reason for this?

Viatcheslav Kantor: Anti-Semitism is economically reasoned. The dangerous type of anti-Semitism is the fundamental state-promoted anti-Semitism and not the social-trivial type. The latter type is related to hatred to anything different while fundamental state-promoted anti-Semitism always has its economic reasons.

There are different political parties in Bulgaria and some of them employ anti-Semitic ideology. If there were no Jews it would be convenient to make up some as the image of the enemy always unites.

Currently the German position on Iran is related to the upcoming election. The German government heeds to the Islamic street and the Neo-Nazi street as the election is pending. This is not about moral principles, this is about how to win another term of office and behind all are economic interests as we all know that politics is epitome of economic interests.

FOCUS: You are the founder of the MAGMA Museum for modern art. Is art the way to tolerance?

Viatcheslav Kantor: 10 years ago the idea occurred to collect some very Jewish visual stuff, very Jewish, very Russian and very remarkable. So I decided to make together with some assistants a list of the most prominent Jews of the 20th century in the field of visual art. The first name that comes to mind is Marc Chagall, but there are others like Leon Bakst, Sonia Delaunay, Chaim Soutine, Alexander Tischler, Mark Rothko. These names talk not only to experts but to the broad public in France, the UK, America. While all of these artists came from Eastern Europe. So I asked myself whether their success was not proof for the productiveness of the tolerant approach. And I came to the conclusion that was so because the atmosphere of tolerance helped them deal with the competitive environment and unfold their talent. Competition stimulated them but it was not so harsh as to suppress their development all together. Could anything like the “Berlin school” spring to life at the star of the century? No. As early as the 1920s there reigned the atmosphere of intolerance already. While in neighbouring France the Paris school emerged to give a powerful conceptual impetus to a number of artistic styles.

Did the world gain anything from this? No doubt it did. There is the idea that in terms of artistic styles and new dimensions the 20th century gave humanity more than all the previous history of mankind. This is how revolutionary the 20th century was and the atmosphere of tolerance in those countries played a crucial part for the development of those artistic ideas and concepts. What we at the European Jewish Congress do is to provide all sorts of support for the fundament of tolerance and to enhance this fundament in European culture.

European Jewish leader: EU-Israel economic ties must not be utilized as bargaining chip

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0600

European Jewish Press

SOFIA —A European Jewish Congress (EJC) delegation called on Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov to use his influence to combat calls in the EU to suspend the process of upgrading relations with Israel.

“There are unfortunately some discordant voices within the EU who use Israel’s economic development as a political bargaining chip in issues that have little to do with economics and trade,” said Moshe Kantor, President of the European Jewish Congress, during a meeting in Sofia.

In the wake of Israel’s operation in Gaza in January, the EU has suspended the planned upgrade of EU-Israel relations. It said the move will not go ahead until Israel halts settlement expansion and accepts a two-state solution.

The EJC said the meeting with the Bulgarian President and high-level members of the Bulgarian government is part of an ongoing effort to promote issues of importance to the European Jewish community with European leaders and to coordinate an organized effort regarding the Iranian nuclear threat.

The EJC is a democratically elected representative body of Jewish communities across Europe.

Kantor called for a consensus on Iran’s nuclear program: “It is time to act now against the Iranian regime. The European Union must adopt a strict and consistent policy to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.”

“Now that parts of Europe are within Iranian missile range, it behooves European leaders to act quickly and drastically to prevent Iran from terrorizing Europe with these weapons.”

Kantor said the recent declaration of Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt at the EU Foreign Ministers’ meeting, that "If they (Iran) decide to go for confrontation, then confrontation will happen." “is encouraging, but there needs to be action behind the words.”

The EJC delegation also called on the Bulgarian government to be vigilant against anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance and racism, especially in politics.

“In Bulgaria, extremist parties should be monitored and legal action should be adopted if they incite xenophobia, anti-Semitism, racism and other forms of intolerance,” Kantor said.

He added: “There is a growing phenomenon of far-right extremist parties across Europe some whom have managed to gain a foot-hold in the European Parliament, and have used these intolerances, most notably anti-Semitism, as a platform to political power.”

Kantor also noted that 70 years after the Second World War began, which destroyed whole European Jewish communities; there is a Jewish renaissance in some of these communities.

“It is especially symbolic for me to be in Bulgaria at this time, a country that, against all odds and against history itself, managed to save almost 50,000 Jewish Bulgarians from deportation and certain death,” Kantor said at a dinner to honour President Parvanov.

“For this the Jewish people are extremely grateful to those Bulgarians, including parliamentarians, the intelligentsia, orthodox priests and ordinary citizens who took a stand against tyranny and refused to sacrifice their fellow Bulgarians. Of course we must not forget the fate of the Jews in Thrace and Macedonia, as well as elsewhere, who perished under the Nazis. They must not and will never be forgotten.”