_
|
International
B
R I E F S |
May 2002
Anti-Semitism in Europe
The world Jewish community has been alarmed by a rise in anti-Semitic
rhetoric, vandalism, and violence affecting international Jewry since
September 2000. It is particularly true in Western Europe where 150,000
French Jews demonstrated last month to condemn recurring anti-Semitic
acts. Many Jews have become walking targets in cities and towns in
Germany, France, and Belgium. Synagogues and Jewish schools in France have
been firebombed and destroyed in Marseilles, Strasbourg, Lyon, and
Toulouse. In Paris, a school bus carrying Jewish students was attacked
with stones. In Marseilles, the synagogue was burnt to the ground and the
Torahs were destroyed and had to be buried. In Brussels, a synagogue was
attacked by anti-Jewish arsonists hurling firebombs. Two 21-year-old
American Jews were physically attacked on Berlin’s main street. With the
rise in Moslem populations in European countries, there is a greater
expression of anti-Jewish and anti-Zionist sentiments. Blood libels, once
the exclusive possession of anti-Jewish Christians, have now infected the
Arab world and include vicious caricatures of Prime Minister Sharon and
Jews using Christian children’s blood to prepare holiday foods during
Purim and Passover. It has become stylish and accepted in polite society
in London to be anti-Semitic, as illustrated by the nasty remarks made by
the French Ambassador to London at a high society dinner party. Europeans,
despite their nations’ wretched history and record against the Jews during
the Holocaust, feel free to attack Israel as she rises to defend her
citizens.
The IPA has met with the leadership of the French Jewish community to
discuss what might be done with emphasis on blocking visits to the U.S. by
vocal French anti-Semites. We met as well with the Italian Jewish
community who, despite the fact that there are no physical attacks on Jews
in Italy, are encountering much political anti-Semitism, particularly
among the left-wing and those in the anti-globalization movement which is
gathering strength in Italy. The IPA also attended a meeting of European
Jewish leadership in March with the Conference of Presidents that took
place in London and discussed ways of coordinating responses to
anti-Semitism.
The IPA has been actively engaged in marshalling support for two
Congressional initiatives, one in the House, introduced by Rep. Joseph
Crowley (D-NY), and one in the Senate, introduced by Senators Gordon Smith
(R-OR), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Orrin Hatch
(R-UT), that call attention to this hatred. We are urging all of our
members to support H. Res. 393 and S. Res. 248, Congressional resolutions
which call upon the governments of Europe to utilize the full power of law
enforcement tools to investigate anti-Semitic crimes, to punish the
perpetrators, to decry the rationalization of anti-Jewish attitudes as
merely a result of justified popular frustration with the Middle East
conflict, and to take measures to protect and ensure the security of
Jewish citizens and institutions. Representatives should be called
immediately at (202) 225-3121 and Senators at (202) 224-3121 and urged to
add their names to the list of co-sponsors of H. Res. 393 and S. Res. 248.
An Action Alert including talking points you can use can be found at
www.ou.org, click on IPA or by calling
(212) 613-8123.
Anti-Israel Bias at the UN
Recent UN activities included a slew of anti-Israel initiatives that have
demanded IPA attention and action. An anti-Israel resolution passed
recently by the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva condones the
establishment of a Palestinian state by all available means, including
armed struggle, language that is understood at the UN to justify
Palestinian terror attacks against Israel. The IPA strongly criticized the
European nations that voted for the resolution, providing tacit agreement
with this endorsement of terror. They include Austria, Belgium, France,
Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. Praise went to Canada, the Czech Republic,
Germany, Guatemala, and the United Kingdom for refusing to succumb to this
insidious move. During the UN Special Emergency Session on Children held
in May, Israel was singled out for its treatment of Palestinian children,
the only country to be the target of a resolution condemning it by name.
Israel’s credentials were challenged at this session, threatening the
prospect that the West Bank and Gaza would be legally represented by the
PLO. The IPA actively campaigned United Nations ambassadors and delegates
to vote against these measures. Due to pressure from the United States,
Canada, and others, the Palestinians eventually dropped these resolutions.
The IPA also worked to oppose a General Assembly resolution that condemned
Israel for not cooperating with the Secretary General’s fact-finding team
to the Jenin refugee camp while it omitted any mention of the numerous
illegal stores of weapons and Palestinian bomb factories found there. We
will continue to oppose continued attempts by the UN to circumvent the
political process in favor of international coercion as a method to
further Palestinian political aims.
Israeli MIAs – Twenty Long Years
June 11, 2002, will mark the twentieth year since the capture of Sergeant
Zachary Baumel, First Sergeant Tzvi Feldman, and Corporal Yehuda Katz in
the battle of Sultan Yaqub in northern Lebanon in 1982. They were reported
missing in action following a battle between an Israeli tank unit and a
Syrian armored unit and are still unaccounted for. Twenty pain-filled
years have passed since their families have seen them or have received any
information as to their condition or whereabouts. Due to the efforts of
the IPA and other Jewish organizations, a law was passed in 1999
specifying that the State Department must raise the plight of these
missing soldiers in all relevant Middle East discussions and report their
findings to Congress. The law mandates that every avenue must be pursued
to help bring home these missing soldiers. The U.S. government must take
into consideration the willingness of relevant parties to assist in
locating and securing the MIAs when considering economic and other forms
of aid to relevant parties. Since Syria is legally responsible for these
young men, and the PLO has information promised by Arafat that he has yet
to deliver, it is critical that these laws be implemented. The IPA is
appealing to all OU members to contact Senators by calling (202) 224-3121
and Representatives at (202) 225-3121 and urging them to implement S. 676
and H.R. 1175, bills calling for the Department of State to raise the
issue of missing Israeli soldiers Baumel, Katz, and Feldman. The fact that
these Israeli MIAs have been held for political ransom for twenty years is
simply unacceptable. For the sake of decency and respect for human life,
for the sake of humanity and compassion, after twenty years of anguish,
let these young men come home at last.
U.S. Congressional Support of Israel
Two pro-Israel resolutions, introduced by Senators Joe Lieberman (D-CT)
and Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Representatives Tom DeLay (R-TX) and Tom
Lantos (D-CA), were recently passed in the House and Senate. They
condemned Palestinian terror, reaffirmed Israel’s right to act in
self-defense against terrorists, and supported additional defense
assistance for Israel. Both the United States and Israel are engaged in a
common battle against terrorists who threaten our countries and civilized
society everywhere. Both countries are victims of well-organized and
well-funded extremist organizations who carry out brutal suicide attacks
on civilians to instill fear, terrorize the populations, and promote their
odious political agendas. Due to the advocacy of the IPA and other
organizations, Congress overwhelmingly voted for these resolutions at a
time when much of the world vilifies Israel for exercising its right of
self-defense. Representatives and Senators should be thanked by all OU
members for their staunch support. Call Representatives at (202) 225-3121
and Senators at (202) 224-3121 and thank them for their part in the
passage of S. Res. 247, the Lieberman/Smith resolution and H. Res. 392,
the DeLay/Lantos resolution.
U.S. Sanctions on Sponsors of Terrorism
Since September 2000, the Palestinians have been waging a campaign of
terrorism and violence to attack innocent Israelis. In order to convey the
message that the United States will not tolerate homicide bombings,
drive-by shootings, grenades, and mortars directed against Israeli
civilian and military targets, bills are being circulated in the Senate
and the House that would require the imposition of sanctions unless the
Palestinians stop the terror. The IPA is strongly supporting these
measures and urges all OU members to do the same. The Senate bill,
introduced by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY),
is called the Arafat Accountability Act (S. 2194) and the bill in the
House, introduced by Reps. Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Ben Gilman (R-NY), and
Tom Lantos (D-CA), is called the Middle East Peace Commitments Act of 2001
(MEPCA, H.R. 1795). Both these bills would impose sanctions on the
Palestinians until they adhere to their commitments to stop the violence.
Sanctions would include the freezing of PLO/PA assets in the United
States, denying visas to PLO/PA officials, and designating terrorist
elements of the PLO as foreign terrorist organizations. Immediately call
your Representatives and Senators and ask them to co-sponsor and help pass
the Arafat Accountability Act, S. 2194, and the Middle East Peace
Commitments Act of 2001, (MEPCA), H.R. 1795. If they have already
co-sponsored the legislation, thank them for doing so. Senators can be
reached at (202) 224-3121, and Representatives at (202) 225-3121 – ask for
the offices of your Senators and Representatives. Talking points and
information that can be used in your communications with your legislators
are available by calling us at (212) 613-8123 or logging onto
www.ou.org and clicking on IPA.
The IPA is also actively promoting support for the Syrian Accountability
Act, S. 2215, H.R. 4483. This legislation, introduced in the House by
Reps. Dick Armey (R-TX) and Eliot Engel (D-NY) and in the Senate by
Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Rick Santorum (R-PA), would impose
sanctions on Syria until the President certifies that Syria has ceased its
support for terrorist groups, has withdrawn its forces from Lebanon,
halted its development of missiles and biological and chemical weapons,
and reined in the Hezbollah who has been attacking Israel’s northern
border. Sanctions would include a ban on military and dual-use technology
exports to Syria, a ban on U.S. investment in Syria, and downgrading the
U.S. diplomatic representation to Syria (at present, there is an
ambassador), among others. Syria is on the U.S. State Department list of
terrorist-sponsoring states and should be treated as such. We strongly
urge all our members to immediately contact Senators and Representatives
and urge them to co-sponsor and help pass the Syrian Accountability Act,
S. 2215 and H.R. 4483. Talking points you can use can be accessed on the
web at www.ou.org and clicking on IPA or
by calling us at (212) 613-8123.
After the Israel Solidarity Rally:
Advocate for Israel
More than 200,000 American Jews demonstrated their solid support for
Israel at the Washington Israel Solidarity Rally that took place on April
15th, 2002. Together with the Conference of Presidents and other
organizations, the IPA/OU worked especially hard to help make it a
success. The importance of this rally resonated internationally and set an
example as Jews across the globe rallied and demonstrated their solidarity
with Israel in Rome, London, Brussels, and Paris.
To continue to demonstrate our solidarity, it is crucial to support
pro-Israel legislation in Washington (see above), protest United Nations
anti-Israel bias (see above), and get local elected officials to pass
resolutions in support of Israel and Jerusalem. Copies of resolutions in
support of Israel and Jerusalem can be obtained by calling us at (212)
613-8123. Media outlets must be monitored for anti-Israel bias and editors
should be contacted to protest unbalanced and inaccurate reporting. To
obtain a comprehensive list of media sources, addresses, and numbers as
well as letter-writing tips, call us at (212) 613-8123. We are also
calling for increased travel to Israel and economic investments as well as
the purchase of Israeli products to help boost and support Israel’s ailing
economy. To help our community continue to do its utmost for Israel,
please call us at (212) 613-8123 to obtain a copy of “How to Establish a
Committee for Public Affairs in your Synagogue.” This booklet provides
information and guidance to help your increase your Israel advocacy
programs.
|
