Rabbi Menachem Margolin, chairman of the European Jewish Association (EJA), addresses the Krakow symposium on antisemitism. Picture from EJA.
“Six million murdered Jews would be horrified that Europe is going down the darkest path again” said European Jewish Association (EJA) Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin as he called in Krakow, Poland, on the European and its member states to declare ‘’immediately’’ an urgent six month antisemitism emergency period with much tougher laws on hate speech and incitement, regulated public events/protests, and increased security provision for Jewish areas, writes Yossi Lempkowicz.
The call was made Monday at EJA delegation to Auschwitz to mark 83 years since Kristallnacht, and 80 years since the liberation of the former extermination camp.
The delegation of politicians, city mayors, university deans and proffesors from across the continent is discussing the challenges faced by Jewish communities and Students in the mouth of the worst levels of antisemitism seen on the continent since the nadir of WW2.
“We have already long passed the stage of warnings and prophecies. Today, Jews are openly attacked in the streets with impunity. The perpretators are given the lightest of sentences, if at all,’’ said Rabbi Margolin.
“Freedom of speech is being abused daily to incite murder, hate and division. It is directly fueling the fire of antisemitism. Jews are a central part of the citizens of Europe. But make no mistake, this is an emergency not only for the Jews but for Europe as a whole,” he said.
“The European Jewish Association is today urging the European Union and its member states to declare an immediate six-month period of emergency on antisemitism. This period would entail a heightened level of protection for Jewish communities across Europe, reflecting the nature of the emergency,” he stressed again.
“This protection includes the enaction of special security measures: Such as ensuring that there is proper and meaningful regulation of public events, including the banning and penalizing of expressions that are antisemitic in nature and that incite.”
“Emergency designation should also see increased police presence in Jewish areas, the requirement of pre-authorization and an enforceable code for conduct and language at public demonstrations and the appointment of dedicated judicial resources, all of which must meet European legal frameworks,” the EJA chairman concluded.
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