Here is a position likely to be adopted by Bush on whether anti-Israel criticism is anti-Semitic criticism...more abuse of the symbols of Nazism around the world.
The report made clear that it did not deem all anti-Israel rhetoric to be anti-Semitic but that the lines between the two were becoming increasingly blurred.
"An important issue is the distinction between legitimate criticism of policies and practices of the State of Israel, and commentary that assumes an anti-Semitic character. The demonization of Israel, or vilification of Israeli leaders, sometimes through comparisons with Nazi elders, and through the use of Nazi symbols to caricature them, indicates an anti-Semitic bias rather than a valid criticism of policy concerning a controversial issue," it says.
More confusion of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel attitudes:
The report noted that in Western Europe, traditional far-right groups still "account for a significant proportion of the attacks against Jews and Jewish properties." But it noted that "disadvantaged and disaffected Muslim youths increasingly were responsible for most of the other incidents."
"The recent rise in anti-Jewish acts and sentiments in Western Europe was often influenced by Middle Eastern events or conflated with anti-Israeli views," it says.
In Eastern Europe, the "stereotype of Jews as manipulators of the global economy continues to provide fertile ground for anti-Semitic aggression," according to the report.
More Holocaust abuse. It is interesting that the Arab media accept the fact of the Holocaust.
The report also detailed the spread of anti-Zionist propaganda, particularly in Arab media, that "frequently adopts the terminology and symbols of the Holocaust to demonize Israel and its leaders."
I think we know the writer meant "serious problem". This seems to be a very small solution, and to mean that anti-Semitism is not being taken very seriously by the legal establishment in some places. The Palestinian election and its aftermath should help with some of the borderline anti-Israel cases.
The report called for countries, where anti-Semitism is a series problem, to beef up specialized training for police and members of the judiciary, to teach them how to confront anti-Semitic acts more effectively.
"Many nations still do not have hate crime laws that address anti-Semitic and other intolerance-related crimes. In some instances where such laws already exist, stronger enforcement is needed," it said.
This is sickening.
The report provided a country-by-country breakdown of attacks, both verbal and physical, over the past 18 months. France reported 510 anti-Semitic incidents in the first six months of 2004 alone, compared with 593 for all of 2003. In Belgium, the report described the stabbing of a youth in Antwerp, and the heckling of a Maccabi soccer club by the opposite team, which taunted the players with shouts of "Heil Hitler."
In the Czech Republic, vandals toppled 80 tombstones in a Jewish cemetery. In Germany, an ancient Jewish cemetery in Dusseldorf was desecrated in June. Similar incidents were reported around the world.
Shoot away! I am interested in mandos and cedwyn's responses. I think I have a good quote for cedwyn from Tom Segev.
The Jerusalem Post is much less aggressively conservative on its website than when Hollinger owned it. The first links are all actual news, and they do not try to firmly direct you to a conservative editorial. Lord Black seems to be a very sleazy character.
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