Germany: AfD politician spreads anti-Zionist conspiracy theories

Peter Schmalenbach is a board member of the Neuwied chapter of nationalist AfD party and a party candidate for the 2016 state elections of Rhineland-Palatinate.

According to the Friedensdemo-Watch site, Schmalenbach has posted antisemitic conspiracy theories on his Facebook account (which has now been wiped out).

For people who still think there's a difference between antisemitism and anti-Zionism, it should be noted that the conspiracy theories are not antisemitic, they're anti-Zionists.  Schmalenbach  believes that Zionists control Germany, the US, and ISIS.

Turkey: Conspiracy theory on national TV claims Israel is converting ISIS slave-girls, Haiti earthquake victims

TRT is the national public broadcaster of Turkey.  Their Arab channel is aimed at Arabs in Turkey, as well as the wider Arab world and Middle East.


Via Everyday Antisemitism:

A Gaza-based journalist has accused Israel of buying slave-girls from ISIS and converting them to Judaism, as well as exploiting terrorist incidents and natural disasters, during an antisemitic rant on Turkish television.

Tawfiq Abu Shomar made the accusations on 15th January in an appearance on the TRT Arabic channel, claiming that Israel does so in order to strengthen its Jewish population.

He said: “For a long time Israel has been striving to bring over the Jews, especially from Europe. They especially want the Jews of France, because they consitute the largest comunity, numbering half a million. My warning should be viewed in context. Israel attracts the (Jewish) immigrants, that’s true, but it also takes advantage of the circumstances in order to bring them.

“This is the main point. It uses natural circumstances, even earthquakes. During the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Israel brought over a large number of Haitians, and had them converted to Judaism. Many such children live (in Israel).

“Israel has benefited not only from France, but also from Iraq. It has brought over Yazidis. A large number of Yazidis are now being converted to Judaism and absorbed there. In addition to the ruling Jewish authorities, there are organisations abroad that buy slavegirls on the ISIS market and take them to Israel.”

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Sweden: Ongoing anti-Israel campaign has made it very difficult for Jews to live in the country

Dow Marmur @ The Star (h/t Honestly Concerned):

Take Sweden as an example. By all accounts it has no reason to be hostile to Israel, yet recent pronouncements by its government, particularly its foreign minister, that single out the Jewish state for condemnation because it defends itself against deadly terrorist attacks while seemingly tolerating similar actions by other states, have made it very difficult for Jews to live in Sweden.
Its anti-Israel campaign seems to have less to do with what’s happening in the Middle East and more with what’s happening in Sweden itself. Its government is said to want to make sure that its growing Muslim population, including the new immigrants, will support the party in power. A pathetic but apparently effective way to woo them is to express hostility to Israel. This, therefore, may be the real reason why what looks like Sweden’s foreign policy is really no more than local scheming that uses local Jews as scapegoats.

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Russia: Opponents of Chabad synagogue say movement is anti-Christian, funding war in Ukraine

Via IzRus, Kantor Center:

A planned Chabad synagogue/cultural center is meeting protest in the city of Perm.

On January 31st, protesters greeted the Chief Rabbi of Russia and the local governor when they visited the site.

A local news site described Chabad as a radical Jewish group, 'Jewish Wahhabis', who are characterized by an anti-Christian stance and racial view of Judaism.  It also claims that Chabbad plays a significant role in getting billionaire Igor Kolomoisky to find the war in the Ukraine.


This past October, an antisemitic site published an article claiming that Chabad are trying to take over Perm just like they did in the Ukraine, that they hate Jesus and that their hands are "stained with Russian blood".

Germany: Holocaust memorial stepping-stones vandalized in Berlin

Via CFCA:  On Tuesday night, 35 Holocaust memorial stepping-stones in Berlin were vandalized with gray paint.

Moldova: Jewish school defaced with antisemitic graffiti

Via Everyday Antisemitism:

Theodore Herzl High School in Moldova has been defaced with a swastika and antisemitic slur. Police are investigating.

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ADL partners with EJC to combat growing anti-Semitism in Europe

Via Jerusalem Post:

The Anti-Defamation League on Wednesday announced that it will partner with the European Jewish Congress to lobby the European Union and national governments in order to counter rising anti-Semitic violence engulfing Europe.

According to a joint statement by the two groups, issued immediately prior to International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the collaboration will give the ADL “a greater impact on EU policies and programs,” enhancing relations between it and local communities and allowing the New York-based advocacy group to share its expertise on combating racism.

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Denmark: Four charged with helping gunman attack Copenhagen synagogue

Via Times of Israel:

Danish prosecutors charged four men Wednesday with assisting someone to commit a terrorism act for allegedly helping a lone gunman who last year killed two people in attacks in Copenhagen.

Justice Minister Soeren Pind said the men were charged with assisting Omar El-Hussein with the killing of a Jewish security guard outside Copenhagen’s main synagogue on February 15 with a handgun.

Prosecutor Lise-Lotte Nilas said in a statement that the charges relate to the “terror murder of Dan Uzan” and the attempted murder of two police officers posted outside the synagogue.

She said she believes the men provided “various forms of assistance” in the hours after El-Hussein’s first attack on February 14 on a free speech event where he killed a Danish filmmaker, and “encouraged him to commit the attack by the synagogue and thus contributed to terrorism.”

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UK: Parliamentary event cancelled after complaint over anti-Israel speaker

The Jewish Chronicle reports:

A Parliamentary event due to be hosted by a controversial Palestinian journalist has been cancelled after a pro-Israel group complained to the organisers.

Abdul Bari Atwan, former editor of the London-based Al-Quds Al-Arabi newspaper, had been expected to chair a session in Portcullis House on Tuesday night featuring Palestinian students speaking on Skype from Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon.

The session was planned by the Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East (LFPME) group and its chair, MP Grahame Morris.

But on Friday, Labour Friends of Israel chair Joan Ryan MP wrote to Mr Morris to complain about past comments made by Mr Atwan.

She said his past comments – in which he allegedly referred to the “Jewish lobby” and his claims that he would celebrate a nuclear attack on Israel – made him unsuitable to lead the event.  [...]

In 2010, police investigated allegations of antisemitism against Mr Atwan after a lecture at the London School of Economics descended into chaos and 30 Jewish students walked out in protest.  He had been speaking on the topic of "How much influence does the Zionist lobby exert in the US and UK?"

Mr Atwan had allegedly accused Jewish students of "bombing Gaza", referred to the "Jewish lobby" and refused to condemn Hamas, saying: "Would you want me to condemn those who are resisting the occupation?"

He was shown on a television station in 2007 saying: "If the Iranian missiles strike Israel - by Allah, I will go to Trafalgar Square and dance with delight if the Iranian missiles strike Israel."

Mr Atwan is reported to have later claimed some of his past comments were made “sarcastically”.

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Croatia: Culture Minister justifies Mufti al-Hussein, says he was victim of militant Zionism

Zlatko Hasanbegović is a historian.

Via Total Croatia News:

In an interview, Minister Zlatko Hasanbegović has expressed his understanding for the former Grand Mufti of Jerusalem al-Husseini and his transgressions before, during and after the World War II. He basically said that the Mufti was a victim of historical circumstances, of British colonialism and militant Zionism.

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France: Jews compared to Nazis in Holocaust Memorial event

Almost every line in this article deserves a post of its own.

Via BBC:

Today talk is of the successful Holocaust Day event which has just been held, in which children (of all denominations) staged an evening of readings and dance.

According to Michele Teboul's friend Edith, it was a very moving occasion - only marred by a young Muslim child whose text "had to include a reference to what the Israelis are doing in Gaza. Why?"

Michele tells the tale of how she led a delegation to Israel, and after months of work had a deal ready to be signed twinning a Marseille lycee with a secondary school in Haifa - only for the scheme to be nixed by the teaching body at the French school.

She says it is hard to reach out to the Muslim community in Marseille. "Sometimes an imam comes for a meeting, to talk about Jewish-Muslim relations. But they always refuse to be photographed with a Jew. They are afraid of their own extremists."

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Germany: Right-wing site says Haaretz newspaper calls for Jewish blood-purity

Via Anonymous Kollektiv-Watch:

The Anonymous Kollektiv site is a right-wing populist site with over 1.7 million 'likes'.  It is apparently not related to the Anonymous Colletive hacker group.

The Israeli Education Ministry recently refused to allow a book about a Jewish-Muslim relationship onto the curriculum.

The site wrote that Israel banned a book from racist motives, and claimed that the Israeli newspaper Haartez urged to "preserve the purity of blood".   Haaretz is, of course, known for its leftist leanings and several of its more famous journalists are straight-out anti-Zionists.

UK: Scottish politician criticised after describing Israel's condemnation of Iran as 'inappropriate'

The Jewish Chronicle reports:

Former Scottish National Party leader Alex Salmond has been criticised after he said it was “inappropriate” for an Israeli official to condemn Iran during a Holocaust Memorial Day event.

Mr Salmond’s comments came on the same day that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had marked last week’s memorial day by denying the Shoah.

Now an SNP MP and the party’s foreign affairs spokesman, Mr Salmond also represents Britain at the Council of Europe.

He said it was wrong for Michael Oren, Israel’s former ambassador to the United States, to criticise Iran president Hassan Rouhani’s visits to France and Italy at the council ahead of an HMD service.

Mr Salmond said there was a “time and place for international politics” and that Mr Oren had been wrong to make the critical comments “during a solemn commemoration service”.

Former Labour Friends of Israel chairman John Woodcock MP said Mr Salmond, who visited Iran in December, had displayed “breath-taking pomposity”.

Read this on Axel Salmond:
Scottish politician compares Islamic State terrorism to the policies of Israel

Germany: Antisemitic flyers

Via Twitter: Antisemitic flyer in Frankfurt.

Switzerland: Islamists, left-wing and right-wing extremists are united by their hatred of Jews

Via Tagesanzeiger (h/t Honestly Concerned):

Daniel Rickenbacher , researcher of extremism, says the Jewish community of Zurich is not overreacting when it invests in bulletproof glass, guards and barriers around the Jewish institutions.  The current investment is barely adequate, he says, and th financial burden is soldiered solely by the Jewish community.

Islamists, left-wing and right-wing extremists are united by their hatred of Jews.  In the 1950s and 1960s, antisemitism was mostly right-wing.  Starting in the late 60s, it became increasingly acceptable in leftist circles.  Neo-Nazis were still a strong presence in the 1990s, but their significance has declined since.  The greatest threat is today is from Islamist circles.

Sometimes there are unholy alliances, for example, when leftists and Islamists organize joint pro-Palestinian demonstrations.  That's a phenomenon that occurs throughout Europe.  A typical example is the Respect Party in Britain which was founded by the Trotskyist Socialist Workers Party and supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood.  They are united by seeing Jews an the West as an enemy, or by an antisemitic anti-capitalism where they see Jews as super-capitalists.

Neo-Nazis also ally with antisemitic Muslims.  For example, Ahmed Huber, a Swiss Holocaust denier, had converted to Islam.  Right-wing extremists and conspiracy theorists also love Iran, which is revered as anti-Western and anti-Jewish force.  But such alliances usually fail when the right-wing extremists are faced with Muslim immigration.