Op-Ed: "You cannot sow anti-Semitism with your policies and then feign surprise when you end up ‎reaping anti-Semitism"

Judith Bergman @ Israel Hayom:

In Denmark, it has been decided that an information center is needed to educate and inform the general population about the ‎Jewish minority living there. The purpose of this center, which will be run by the Danish Jewish community and funded by the Copenhagen municipality, is to combat anti-Semitism. This is rather ironic, ‎considering that Jews have lived in Denmark for over 350 years and that Denmark became world famous ‎for saving most of the Danish Jews during World War II. It seems a little late in the day for education and ‎information. Then again, the majority of the "new" anti-Semitism against Jews in Denmark -- although far ‎from all of it -- comes from a new demographic, Muslims, who have only lived in Denmark for the past ‎four decades.

Several days ago, ‎ Copenhagen Mayor of Employment and Integration Anna Mee Allerslev told Danish television that "Danish Jews, Jews in Copenhagen, have experienced discrimination. This is of course not the general ‎impression in Copenhagen, but we have too many instances of anti-Semitism or Jew-hatred and we want ‎to help break down prejudices and spread information and in that way eliminate discrimination and hate ‎crimes."

The center will be educating teachers who, in turn, will visit schools, educational institutions ‎and youth clubs in order to spread information about the Jewish minority in Denmark.‎

Allerslev happens to be the same person who in 2012 told Danish Jews ‎participating in a festival celebrating the multiculturalism of ethnic and cultural minorities in Copenhagen ‎that they would not be allowed to display the Israeli flag at the festival. No such message was given to any ‎other minority participating in the festival. "The Israeli flag can seem provocative to some and for security ‎reasons we do not wish the Israeli flag to be displayed," Allerslev said. Only four years later, the mayor has ‎seemingly realized that discriminating against Jews is a bad thing.‎

(...)


You cannot sow anti-Semitism with your policies and then feign surprise when you end up ‎reaping anti-Semitism. Everything is connected.

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