UK: Pro-Israel group ejected from festival due to violence by pro-Palestinian group

Bournemouth Action For Israel, a pro-Israel organization, came to the Tolpuddle Festival.  The festival is organized by the Trade Unions Congress in celebration of trade unionism. 

In short, they were harassed and attacked until the festival organizers told them they'll have to leave for their own safety.  (h/t halevia)

The Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, which has had the trade unionists all to themselves for the past few years, quickly discovered our presence and that was the start of the less-than-welcome reception.

In succession, the volunteers were accused of representing a fascist, racist, oppressive, apartheid, baby killing, subjugating, land-stealing state and that we had no right to be at the festival. In forthright manner, we were informed that serious complaints would be lodged to the organisers with a view to having us ejected. A flash mob suddenly converged on us from the direction of the PSC stall, shouting abuse, throwing our leaflets to the floor and trying to destroy our stand.

Needless to say, when each organisation was invited to explain what it was there for, our leader was greeted by well orchestrated boos and jeers. Having fully anticipated just such a reaction, he calmly asked them if they would like another minute or so to vent their anger. When things quietened down, he was able to inform the hall that our organisation represents a Pro-Israel, Pro-Palestinian, Pro-peace viewpoint and if we could not have civilised dialogue here in England, what chance was there for it to happen in the Middle East.

After these initial rabid outbursts, the volunteers were encouraged to hear from other stallholders and officials that we had every right to be there and although they did not agree with what Israel was doing, we should be free to put over our point of view.

Today, we arrived very early to ensure we would be there before the PSC and as we were in the process of setting up our stand, we received a visit from the organisers. They explained to us that this was going to be the busiest day of the event and that they were short staffed on security. In view of the many virulent complaints they had received about us, and although we had every right to be there, we should leave in the interest of our own and their staff's safety.  more

Germany: Jewish cemetery desecrated with Nazi graffiti

Via CFCA:

Three tombstones in the Jewish cemetery in Laatzen were spray-painted with green Nazi graffiti.

UK: Cameron expected to Muslim conspiracy theorists who peddle antisemitic tropes

The Jewish Chronicle reports:

David Cameron is expected to tackle Muslim conspiracy theorists who peddle antisemitic tropes in a major speech on extremism.  Speaking on Monday, the Prime Minister will outline a five-year plan to combat Islamists.

He is expected to refer to those who believe that “Jews exercise malevolent power” and engage in conspiracies that Mossad was behind the September 11 terror attacks in 2001.

In references to those who have been convicted in this country of planning terror attacks, Mr Cameron will say: “It may begin with hearing about the so-called Jewish conspiracy and then develop into hostility to the West and fundamental liberal values, before finally becoming a cultish attachment to death."

He will give the speech in Birmingham and talk about the failure of some ethnic minorities to integrate into British society. More.

France: The rabbi of Menton is attacked and verbally abused

Nice Matin reports:

On Sunday morning, the rabbi of Menton was punched on the back and verbally abused by an Italian-speaking man. The perpetrator remains at large.

By a sad coincidence, the rabbi was on his way to attend the ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the Vel d'Hiv roundup of Jews on 16 and 17 July 1942, as well as the remembrance of the victims of racist and antisemitic crimes and homage to the Righteous of France.

Germany: Antisemitism is at home in the middle of society, says Jewish leader

Interview with Josef Schuster, Chairman of the Central Council of Jews in Germany:

 Would you say that the nature of anti-Semitism has changed over the years?

Yes, it has changed. Even if we set aside the new anti-Semitism of Arab immigrant families, it's today striking that we have an anti-Semitism that is at home not only with political extremists, but also in the middle of society. It often tends to take the guise of anti-Zionism. This is nothing new, but today, many are willing to say what they may already have long thought, but had not dared to utter.


 In this education work, how do you convey the distinction between anti-Semitism and criticism of the government in Israel?

That's not difficult. The fact is, objective criticism of Israeli policies is absolutely legitimate. In a democracy, there is freedom of expression. That also means criticism, and criticism of the Israeli government also exists in Israel itself.

But if this criticism is used to immediately tar all Jews in the world, then that goes beyond what I mean by an objective criticism of Israeli policy. When we experience that the Central Council is blamed for Israeli policies, you have to say clearly: Here German citizens are being held responsible for things that are happening in another country.

One word missing in the contemporary European Holocaust narrative is the word ”Israel”

Tomas Sandell is a Finnish journalist who has been accredited by the European Union. He is  the Founding Director of European Coalition for Israel, a Christian initiative promoting Europea-Israeli cooperation. Thomas Sandell wrote @ Times of Israel:

There was not much sympathy for Israel in the comments made by senior European leaders after the nuclear deal with Iran announced on Tuesday. German Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier was quick to point out that ”the Israeli Government should at least read the agreement before they start criticising it.” He is not alone. Back in 2003 an EU survey came to the bitter conclusion that ”Israel is the main obstacle to world peace.”

European irritation with Israel is obvious again now. 

The argument is simple: the nuclear race has been stopped and diplomacy has finally won. So the Israeli Prime Minister is against the agreement. Big deal?

The lack of understanding for the concerns expressed by the Israeli Government is remarkable, given that what we know as the European Union is often said to have been built out of the ashes of the Holocaust.

Each year on January 27th, Holocaust Remembrance Day, senior political leaders across Europe express their commitment to stand with the Jewish people in Europe when they are under threat. ‘There can be no Europe without Jews’, the EU Foreign Policy Chief, Federica Mogherini, stated in January after the terrorist attack in Paris where five Jews were killed in cold blood.

But what about Jews (and Arabs) in Israel? One word which is often missing in the contemporary European Holocaust narrative is the word ”Israel”.  EU leaders deplore the terrorist attacks in Toulouse, Brussels, Paris and Copenhagen but are mostly silent when terror strikes in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv or Netanya. When I introduced myself to a senior EU official on Holocaust Remembrance Day earlier this year by saying that I am the founder of the European Coalition for Israel, his reply was as shocking as it is typical for some members of the European ruling class: ‘And what does Israel have to do with any of this?’ More.

Germany: Al-Quds Day speakers incited against Jews

Via QFR:

On July 11th, Muslim and pro-Palestinians gathered in Berlin for the annual Iran-backed "al-Quds Day".  About 650 people showed up.

Among the slogans shouted by the crowd:
16:48 - Khaibar, Khaibar, Ya Yahud (when the protesters caught sight of the Israeli flags held by the counter-protesters) 
19:47 - "Death to America, Death to Israel, the Jews are condemned, Islam will be victorious

The speakers focused mostly on the "Zionists", but used anti-Semitic stereotypes.  The Zionists are the "cancers of mankind", they are infidels, they bring only misery, death and despair to the world, they are puppet-masters controlling the politicians, police and the press.

The Zionists are Nazi, the Palestinians are facing a new Holocaust, anti-Semitism is not hatred of Jews etc. etc. etc.

Belgium: Hitler salutes and anti-Semitic slogans at football match

Fans of the Belgian football club of Charleroi made Hitler salutes and shouted anti-Semitic slogans, during Thursday’s Europa League qualifying round match in Belgium against Israel’s Betar Jerusalem.

The information, confirmed by video images, was not reported by the Belgian media which only mentioned the fact that Israeli supporters threw smoke bombs, flares and firecrackers at the beginning of the match which was held up.

The owner of Beitar Jérusalem, Eli Tabib, said on Friday he was putting the Israeli Premier League club up for sale because he felt ashamed of the supporters’ behavior.

Israeli Sports Minister Miri Regev condemned the action of the fans, saying on her Facebook page a "small group of thugs" had defamed Israeli soccer and called on Israeli police to cooperate with their Belgian counterparts.

Beitar is due to host Charleroi in the return leg at Jerusalem's Teddy Kollek Stadium next week and Regev said security, which is always heavy at Beitar matches, would be tightened further.

JSS News made the following points:

- Before the match, Belgian media went to town about the "racism" of Beitar fans. And after the game, they spoke of their violence.

- The owner of Beitar Jérusalem, Eli Tabib, said he was putting the Israeli Premier League club up for sale because he felt ashamed of the supporters’ behavior.   This was widely reported in the Israeli and the Belgian media.  In Israel there was widespread condemnation of the behaviour of some of the Israeli fans.

- Whereas the Belgian media didn't refer to the vicious antisemitism of supporters of the Charleroi club, whose owner is the town of Charleroi.  JSS posted a video showing this.  It was promply taken down.  Luckily JSS had noted what they said: "Israel, we bugger you".  "Dirty Jew."  "Get out of our town."  While giving the finger and making nazi salutes.  

And if you ask these people if they are antisemitic, they are likely to say that they are not!

Dan Birenbaum who wrote the article made an appeal: "What was the reaction of the owner of Charleroi?  If you hear about it please let me know."  Good point.  In the meantime, as mentioned above, the video has vanished...

Israel: Synagogues targeted by antisemitic Christian youth

Via YNet:

Synagogue-goers in central Petah-Tikva say they're being harassed by neo-Nazi youth.  The harassment, which started a year ago, has targeted various synagogues and includes throwing stones and garbage, breaking windows, arson, vandalizing as well as swastika graffiti.

According to one synagogue member, when confronted the youth laughed and said "it's just a synagogue, not a church".

A few months ago police arrested two kids, aged 10 and 13, for a few of the attacks.  The kids said they've been influenced by antisemitic YouTube clips.  Police say they see no signs of an organized cell, meanwhile attacks continue.

Eight years ago a neo-Nazi cell composed of non-Jewish youth from the FSU attacked various synagogues around town.

UK: "The Royal family could not possibly have known the true wickedness of Hitler"

The Sun posted a video of Queen Elizabeth giving the Nazi salute in 1934-5:

Egging on her sister Princess Margaret, three, is their uncle Prince Edward, Prince of Wales. He was a sympathiser towards Hitler’s Nazi Germany and became King Edward VIII.

The stunning film footage of the Queen performing a Nazi salute is today revealed by The Sun.

The astonishing clip lay hidden for eight decades. The grainy home movie is thought to have been shot in 1933 or 1934, as Hitler rose to supreme power in Germany.

 In The Telegrah, Tim Stanley explains that nobody could have possibly known how bad Hitler was.  This was a decade before the Holocaust, after all.

What Stanley doesn't mention is that Hitler wrote Mein Kampf in 1925.  Ignoring antisemitism leads to dead Jews.  Maybe British media should learn that lesson instead of trying to rewrite history.

The Palace, in its turn, expressed its disappointment that the film was made public.

UK: BDS activists admit they are boycotting Jewish businesses

Additionally, they believe in conspiracy theories against Jews. Because Jews control the world.

Via Israel Advocacy Movement (h/t CFCA):

When one of our activists at the Israel Advocacy Movement went undercover at a BDS protest of McDonald's in Shadwell, London. The activists admitted they were not boycotting Israeli businesses - but all Jewish businesses

Sweden: Threats to kill Jews

Via CFCA:

A man in Skillingaryd says he received a neo-Nazi text message threatening to kill Jews.  The message included lyrics from a song by the Nazi band Varulven, crude pictures as well as pictures of the Ku-Klax-Klan and a man with a knife.

According to Jönköpings-Posten, several people have received such text messages.

Germany: Jews do not pay taxes accusation

Via Watch Antisemitism in Europe:

An initiative in ‪#‎Berlin‬ created an app that offers a tour along sights of Jewish life in ‪#‎PrenzlauerBerg‬ (district).

On Tuesday this app was presented to the public on site as one man came along and asked one of the organizers: "Do you have the issue of taxes integrated?" He suggested that Jews are not paying taxes in Germany and continued to claim that she must be Jewish herself since she "twisted his words" as she replied to his claim. He left the scene with the words: "You are a stupid Jew".

Despite this incident we recommend the app and the tour anyway. Read more (in German).

German-Iran business ties complicate relations with Israel

Benjamin Weinthal writes @ Jerusalem Post:

A flourishing German-Iran business relationship complicates relations between Jerusalem and Berlin. After all, many of the new deals could involve dual-use goods, which can be used for both military and civilian purposes. Germany has a long history of selling chemical agents to Bashar Assad’s regime, as well as dual-use technology to Iran’s regime.

With the adoption of the Iran nuclear deal by world powers – including Germany – on Tuesday, Chancellor Angela Merkel's administration issued a full-throated endorsement of the agreement that will also advance her country’s economic interests.  The deal has, however, exacerbated certain tensions in the German-Israel relationship.

On Wednesday, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told German broadcaster ARD, “This is a responsible deal and Israel should also take a closer look at it and not criticize the agreement in a very coarse way.”

Israel’s embassy in Berlin told The Jerusalem Post, “Federal Foreign Minister Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier stated in the ARD interview that certain issues are not to be discussed in public, as it is common practice among amicable partners. Along the same line, what we have to convey to our German partners, we also express directly and not through the media.”

Steinmeier said, “I will certainly travel to Iran, but I don’t have concrete travel plans yet.”

German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel plans to fly to Iran on Sunday to quickly tap the trading opportunities from the deal. [...]

Ulrike Becker, a spokeswoman for Stop the Bomb, told the Post Gabriel’s trip sums up the problem: “Even before the agreement is ratified, and sanctions lifted, Germany vice chancellor [Gabriel] paves the way for billion-dollar deals. And [it’s only] a few days after Iran’s regime on the occasion of the anti-Semitic al-Quds day documented its intention to destroy the Jewish state. It is significant that 70 years after the Shoah, the federal government stands in the first row when it concerns business with the anti-Semitic Iranian regime.”

Gabriel described the deal as a “historic breakthrough,” adding that it was now time to talk about a change in the relationship between Iran and Israel. It is unclear if he will confront Iran regarding its efforts to kill Israelis, including through terrorist attacks.

During his visit to Israel in 2012, Gabriel called Israel an “apartheid regime.”

Gabriel, chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, has not issued such public rebukes regarding Iran’s human rights record, including punishing gays by death, and unjustly imprisoning Baha’is, Kurds and Sunni Iranians.  [...]

The rift between Germany and Israel over the Iranian threat has been an ongoing point of conflict.

Writing on Sunday in the Berlin- based Tagesspiegel daily, former Israeli ambassador to Germany Shimon Stein and Hebrew University historian Moshe Zimmermann said there is an “asymmetry” in the views of Israel and Germany toward Iran’s nuclear program.

From Israel’s point of view, the Merkel administration has been playing down the Iranian threat.

Germany’s domestic intelligence agency – the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution – wrote in a report in June, “Germany anticipates that Iran will continue its intensive procurement efforts in Germany” in connection with illicit nuclear and missile technology.  The German government seem to be discounting the relevance of the intelligence data.  More.

Russia: Director of Moscow Jewish museum shot by assailant

The Times of Israel reports:

The director and founder of a Moscow Jewish museum was shot and seriously injured outside the institution by an unidentified assailant on Thursday.

Sergei Ustinov, a writer and businessman who is a prominent member of Moscow’s Jewish community and who also serves as vice president of the Russian Jewish Congress, was shot in his car by a man who promptly fled the scene.  He was evacuated to a hospital in the Russian capital.

Police said they were investigating several possible motives for the crime, including a business dispute and anti-Semitism.

Following the attack, the RJC called on Russian authorities to give special attention to the crime due to its possible anti-Semitic roots. Ethnic hatred, the group said, threatened “the very foundations” of the country.  More.