3830 days ago
On Saturday a gunman shot four people dead at the Jewish Museum in Brussels. This was an overtly anti-Semitic attack. A couple of hours later, two Jewish men were savagely beaten as they left the synagogue in Paris. Again they were targeted as Jews. Throughout Europe violent attacks on Jews and the desecration of Jewish sites, notably cemeteries, have been rising sharply for years. But few seem to care.
For this is the racism that seems almost acceptable in some quarters. How often have you seen the Star of David burned in street protests across Europe? Is anything done? Of course not. A recent survey showed that 35% of those in France held anti-Semitic views, in Greece the number was 67%. In Latvia where last month a school proudly hung the word “JudenFrei” – the term used by the Nazis for an area that had been “cleansed” above its doors - the figure was 28%. Against such a backdrop is it any wonder that physical attacks on Jews as well as less overt discrimination is on the increase.
In part this must be down to feelings in some quarters that Israel has over-stepped the mark. I do not hold that view but I am fully aware that others do and their views on the Jewish State may fuel their views on Jews in general. But in the end even if one abhors Israel that can be no excuse for discriminating or persecuting an entire community who share a faith with most Israelis but are not part of that State.
The increase in anti- Semitism in recent years in part comes from our own silence. Amazingly
