Hungary: Man threatened for writing book on Holocaust

Via CFCA:

Kiskunfélegyáhz - The prosecution has filed charges against a Budapest resident who sent threats by email to the prosecutor from Kecskemét, who is the author of a book about the holocaust.

According to an announcement of Schmidt Gábor, the book of the Kecskemét prosecutor is a documentary book about the city history in the time of the holocaust.

(...)

The person charged, 40 years old, read about the book on the internet and sent a threatening letter to the author’s private mail. In his letter, he used antisemitic comments and threatened to hurt him in order to force him to stop his activities related to the documentary book.

Day 30: Counting the Days till EU Condemns PA Incitement to Kill Jews

Following the murders in Jerusalem enabled by the constant Palestinian incitement to kill Jews, this blog will wait until one European country will step forward and condemn the PA for its incitement.

It is not enough to ask the PA to stop inciting.

It is not enough to condemn the terror attacks caused by such incitement.

European leaders must make it clear to the PA that incitement to kill Jews is unacceptable. That such incitement will mean no support for Palestinian aspirations for statehood. 

Until then, European leaders are encouraging Palestinians to kill Jews.

UK: School vandalized with swastikas (second time in a week)

@ShomrimOfficial

Police are investigating after graffitied swastika symbols have been found daubed on a primary school’s sign in Stamford Hill for the second time in a week.

Volunteers from Shomrim, the Jewish neighbourhood watch group, removed the graffiti symbols outside Jubilee Primary School on Filey Avenue on 18 December but the symbols appeared again this afternoon (22 December).

More: Hackney Citizen h/t CFCA

Europe: Anger simmers as EU Parliament shoots down anti-­Semitism task-force

Background: Europe: MEPs reject taskforce on antisemitism but have 28 'intergroups' for issues such as wine and fishing

The Jerusalem Post reports:

Jewish organizations reacted harshly to last week’s failure by the European Parliament to establish a task force on anti-Semitism despite initial support by a significant number of legislators. [...]

Polish Chief Rabbi Michael Schudrich went even further, telling The Jerusalem Post that the decision not to form a task force “shows a politicization of fighting anti-Semitism to an unprecedented level of cynicism.”

“The decision by the European Parliament to disregard the need for an intergroup task force focused on the growing threat of anti-Semitism in Europe is another failure of European leadership to recognize and understand their responsibility to assure the Jews of Europe a future of safety and dignity.

At the very moment when bold measures are called for to meet the challenges to Jewish life in Europe, the European Parliament has said ‘we really don’t care,’” said Anti-Defamation League chief Abraham Foxman. “Coming just days after the adoption of a resolution urging recognition of a Palestinian state, this decision may well be another example of how the Middle East conflict is used by European leaders as an excuse to do little or nothing about the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe.” 

Eli Ringer, the immediate past president of Belgium’s Forum der Joodse Organisaties, recalled demanding this past summer, as anti-Semitic riots broke out across Europe, that “in the new Commission of Europe a commissioner should be appointed handling the problem of racism and specifically on anti-Semitism.”

“We feel very much disappointed that the new president of the European Commission did not take notice of this demand. We have the feeling that Europe does not have any more interest in real values, but, [rather,] all the importance is put on economic issues. Europe does not understand the danger of anti-Semitism and has a short-term memory.... We do not pretend that we are in the same situation like before the war concerning anti-Semitism, but the danger of spreading exists, and all Europe could become victims – Jews and non-Jews alike,” he told the Post.

More: Jerusalem Post

Norway: Norwegian Church justifies Palestinian terror, denies Israel's Jewish history

It won't all fit in the headline, so I'll try to summarize here:

In honor of Christmas, and in the spirit of the season, the state Church of Norway hereby:
1. Justifies Palestinian terror
2. Denies the Jewish history of Israel and of Jesus and thereby denies Jews the right to their homeland
3. Prays for all those who are afflicted by the Holy Land conflict (though Jews are only mentioned as oppressors and occupiers)
4. Denies that Palestinian Christians incite hatred and murder against Jews

In other words: Lots of peace and love and harmony.

Via MIFF:

A new anti-Israel Facebook page "Tal sant om Betlehem" (Speak the truth about Bethlehem), features a petition by leaders of the Norwegian Church.  The signatories include Bishops Solveig Fiske, Tor B. Jørgensen and Erling Pettersen; Berit Hagen Agøy, General Secretary of the Ecumenical Council; and various priests, as well as leaders of the Palestine Committee.


The petition says as follows (translation and emphasis mine):

It is soon  Christmas.  As Christians we will celebrate the miracle of Jesus' birth in the manger.

We will remember the story of Joseph and Mary who traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem, two towns in Northern Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank, respectively.

This petition insists that we have a calling to ask for solidarity with all those who are affected by the conflict in the Holy Land, and to witness the injustice the occupation entails for Christian and Muslim Palestinians.

Churches there have long urged Western churches to stand up against injustice and to share their pain.  We think it's wrong for the Church to deny injustice in today's Palestine when we commemorate the miracle of Palestine of yore, and we will emphasize the following:

* We will speak the truth about the city where Jesus was born, a Palestinian city of Christians and Muslims, where the entire population suffers under the occupation. The city is encircled by walls, fences and checkpoints. A portion of the wall was built within the city streets of Bethlehem. We will preach the gospel of the Prince of Peace, and the message of love and justice for all peoples and all believers.

* We will protest against a political status quo; that Israeli violence, arbitrary arrests particularly of children and adolescents, closed borders, travel restrictions, trade barriers and other humiliations remain the day-to-day life for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. The violence of the Occupation leads to Palestinian violence, and 2014 is a year of increased unrest and more were killed than have been for a long time.  A lasting political solution must be based on a principle of equality between all peoples and ethnic groups, Jews, Christians and Muslims.

• We will pray for the Palestinian Christians who administer the places where Jesus was born and the angels sang to the shepherds. We know that the Palestinian churches preach a message of reconciliation. They carry the hope that peace and justice will one day prevail. We encourage all believers in Norway to support the way of peace and righteousness. This way the occupation can be stopped, both occupier and occupied freed from the yoke of oppression, and dignity given back to all.

France: Shots fired at Paris synagogue

Unidentified gunmen opened fire at the David Ben Ichay Synagogue in Paris’ 19th Arrondissement late Monday night, police confirmed to the French-Jewish JSS News site.


Police said a bullet, apparently fired from an AirSoft gun at about 9:30 PM, went through a closed window of the religious center’s office, but did not hit the synagogue’s Rabbi Lousky or an assistant who were in the room.

More: Algemeiner

Finland: Ex-MEP says Helsinki sold city center property to spies and state terrorists (Chabad Lubavitch)

I’m not anti-Semite, says Esko Seppänen.

Just a couple of years ago Finnish politician Pertti Salonen stated that American Jews
had to a large extent, both media and money in their pockets. 

Esko Seppänen says that the Maritime Customs Barracks should not be sold to Jewish groups.

The former MEP Esko Seppänen criticizes the City of Helsinki’s decision to sell the old Maritime Customs Barracks to the cultural organization of the Chabad Lubavitch. In Seppänen’s view, the Orthodox Jewish organization could spy on Finland, being close to the Israeli secret service Mossad.

More: Tundra Tabloids

Day 29: Counting the Days till EU Condemns PA Incitement to Kill Jews

Following the murders in Jerusalem enabled by the constant Palestinian incitement to kill Jews, this blog will wait until one European country will step forward and condemn the PA for its incitement.

It is not enough to ask the PA to stop inciting.

It is not enough to condemn the terror attacks caused by such incitement.

European leaders must make it clear to the PA that incitement to kill Jews is unacceptable. That such incitement will mean no support for Palestinian aspirations for statehood. 

Until then, European leaders are encouraging Palestinians to kill Jews.

Europe: MEPs reject taskforce on antisemitism but have 28 'intergroups' for issues such as wine and fishing

Campaigners working to combat antisemitism have attacked the European Parliament's decision not to form a special group to tackle Jew-hatred across the continent.

Despite forming groups to deal with issues including wine, fishing and animal conservation, a proposal for a dedicated antisemitism taskforce was rejected by MEPs in Brussels last Thursday.  There are 28 new "intergroups" which contain politicians from all parties and are used for informal discussions and meetings with charities, think-tanks and members of the public. One group will consider "anti-racism and diversity" but there will be no specialist body dealing with antisemitism.

The JC understands more than 100 MEPs had pledged their support for a working group to tackle the rise of Jew-hatred across the continent. All of the European parliament's political groupings had also backed the plan. Jardena Lande, director of the Inter-parliamentary Coalition for Combating Antisemitism (ICCA), said: "We had some amazing support from individual MEPs but when it came to the groups voting, they did not go for it. They accepted one on general racism because it is not exclusive to any one group. But given the climate and the year we have had, it's very disappointing." Ms Lande said the European Parliament had "special responsibility" for combating antisemitism given the continent's history and the current rise in incidents. "It's hugely questionable why they would not let us have a separate group on this issue right now," she said.

More: Jewish Chronicle

UK: BBC chief: Anti-Semitism makes me question Jews’ future in UK

The director of BBC Television said rising anti-Semitism has made him question the long-term future for Jews in the UK.

Speaking at a conference in Jerusalem on Sunday, Danny Cohen said the past year had been the most difficult for him as a Jew living in the United Kingdom. “I’ve never felt so uncomfortable being a Jew in the UK as I’ve felt in the last 12 months. And it’s made me think about, you know, is it our long-term home, actually. Because you feel it. I’ve felt it in a way I’ve never felt before actually,” he said in a conversation with Channel 2’s anchor Yonit Levi.

Cohen went on: “And you’ve seen the number of attacks rise. You’ve seen murders in France. You’ve seen murders in Belgium. It’s been pretty grim actually. And having lived all my life in the UK, I’ve never felt as I do now about anti-Semitism in Europe.”

More: Times of Israel

France: comedian Dany Boon gets insults and threats when he defends Israel (video)

What Dany Boon tells about the ferocity of anti-Israel sentiment in France helps to explain why so few prominent French Jews dare to defend Israel in public.

More: I24news

"In France, I get plenty of insults and threats when I defend Israel," said popular French comedian, director and actor Dany Boon, in an interview with i24news while in Israel on a visit to his wife's family.

He is planning to visit Israel more often and is concerned about the rise of anti-Semitism in France and elsewhere in Europe.

Boon, whose real name is Daniel Hamidou, born of an Algerian Kabyle father and a French Catholic mother, was raised as a Catholic.  He converted to Judaism about twelve years ago and is married to a French Jew.  He said that anti-Semitic stereotypes in France are deeply entrenched. "People make shortcuts, amalgams and often tell me 'now that you're Jewish you have become very rich,'" He replies "I was already rich when I was a Catholic, and I know poor Jews."

Dany Boon refuses to be drawn on his political views, but indicated that he is shaken by the level of violence in the region. His way to engage is to participate in humanitarian actions, such as "Hadassah", a Jewish charity, for which he has given many raise-funding performances.

Ukraine: "No to the Zhid Junta!" graffiti

Via CFCA:

Graffiti in Odessa: "A shame on the volunteers [to the Ukrainian army]. No to the Zhid Junta!"

Day 28: Counting the Days till EU Condemns PA Incitement to Kill Jews

Following the murders in Jerusalem enabled by the constant Palestinian incitement to kill Jews, this blog will wait until one European country will step forward and condemn the PA for its incitement.

It is not enough to ask the PA to stop inciting.

It is not enough to condemn the terror attacks caused by such incitement.

European leaders must make it clear to the PA that incitement to kill Jews is unacceptable. That such incitement will mean no support for Palestinian aspirations for statehood. 

Until then, European leaders are encouraging Palestinians to kill Jews.

Italy: "You are doomed like the blacks, the Jews and the gays"

Via CFCA:

Pontebba - threating letter against the Mayor of Pontebba, Ivano Buzzi:

"Mayor, you will burn alive like all black people that you want to bring to our home, you are doomed like the blacks, the Jews and the gays, you should finish in the stove and burn! You do not deserve to represent us, you who want to mix our race with inferior races. You and the Communists are destroying our country. Shame on you. You are not worthy to exist. We'll wait for you under your house. Long live the Duce ".

Turkey: Minister hints at Israeli links to Turkey’s ‘graft plot’

The so-called “parallel state,” which the Turkish government accuses of organizing a plot in last year’s corruption probe, started illegally gathering information on the government after two major crises with Israel, Interior Minister Efkan Ala has said, saying the “mind of the plot is abroad.”

“The Dec. 17 graft probe is only one phase of a process that started much earlier,” Ala was quoted as saying by Sabah, a daily newspaper close to the government, on the first anniversary of the corruption investigation, which embroiled Cabinet ministers, their relatives and a number of bureaucrats.

“We should considering the process from the ‘one minute’ incident. Everything starts at that point,” he said, referring to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s storming out of a World Economic Forum panel with Israeli President Shimon Peres on Jan. 29, 2009, after angrily protesting against the moderator and repeatedly shouting “one minute” in English.

“The hands of this plot attempt are inside the country while its mind is abroad,” Ala added, also highlighting the Mavi Marmara incident that occurred more than a year after Erdogan stormed out of Davos.

(...) 

In a Dec. 17 speech in the Central Anatolian province of Konya, President Erdogan also slammed “dirty international powers” and the “parallel state.”

“Those who are under protection in Pennsylvania cannot come here,” Erdogan said, referring to Gülen, who lives on a ranch in the U.S. state.

“Let them move together with the enemies of Turkey, with the Turkey-enemy media, with dirty international powers, and with their beloved country in the south,” he added, using a phrase he had previously used in apparent reference to Israel.

More: Hurriyet Daily News