Anti-Semitism Fashion

I think that Jewish organizations are correct in saying that anti-Semitism has increased in Europe, and I also think they are correct in saying that Arab and Muslim youths are responsible for a large part of it, by attacking Jewish individuals and centers. I also think that the movie "The Passion of the Christ" will help in increasing anti-Semitism wherever it is viewed around the world. After I proved objectivity that is not expected from an Arab writer, I hope that Jews around the world would be convinced that anti-Semitism would not fade away if they deny the causes, but would rather increase.

Information on anti-Semitism is accumulating on my desk, as part of the daily flow that I deal with. I had placed aside news and comments about a study published by the European Monitoring Center on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC), which said that the attacks against Jews in Europe have increased, and that most of their perpetrators are white European males disconnected from their societies. Thus, it contradicts a study published last year by the Berlin University of the Arts, which said that the majority of attacks are carried out by Muslim immigrants, and supporters of Palestinians.

The study of the European center was 344 pages long, and it recorded incidents in Britain, France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany, mentioning that such incidents are rare in Italy, Greece, Spain, and Norway, where nevertheless anti-Semitism is widespread.

The study talked about the difficulty in generalizing, but it came to the conclusion that the incidents are perpetrated by white Europeans, and that the second source is young Muslims from North Africa and Asia. Extremist, rightist, racist groups also play a role in agitating public opinion.

Victor Weitzel wrote a part of the study, and said in an interview that the European Union trivializes the role of the youths coming from North African countries; it seems that the EU is not capable of facing the truth.

This may be true. Also true is that the Jews in Europe, America, and around the world, are incapable of facing the truth; but I must continue with the information before stating my opinion.

I found another report of 650 pages about this same issue, prepared by the National Consultative Commission of Human Rights in France. The report said that incidents of anti-Semitism in France have decreased during 2003 compared to 2002, but the number of 817 incidents remains much higher than it was during any year in the 1990s. France includes the largest Jewish community in Europe - around 600,000 Jews. Both the European study and the French report said that the youths from the suburbs that have been affected by the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, carried out the attacks, which usually targeted individuals, synagogues, schools, cemeteries, Kosher restaurants, among other places.

The president of Jewish ADL, Anti-Defamation League, said that the European report was disappointing. Coby Benatoff, the head of the European Jewish Congress, accused the center of showing its "ideological bias."

Once again, as an Arab commentator who prefers objectivity over his desires, I will not deny that Arab immigrants in Europe are behind a large number of attacks. But I deny the fact that they are the only ones responsible, and I object to obscuring the causes.

I read that anti-Semitism has become a fashion among Belgian leftist intellectuals, because of the Intifada. I also read a statement made by the Israeli ambassador to London, Zvi Schtauber, before leaving his position, where he accused British leftists of anti-Semitism, and talked about an unholy coalition between leftists and Islamic fundamentalism. He specifically criticized Labour MP Tam Dalyell who slammed Prime Minister Tony Blair himself because he is surrounded by Jewish advisers, Liberal Democrat MP Jenny Tonge who said that she understands how Palestinians become suicide bombers, and leftist magazine New Statesman. The Israeli government preceded him by attacking the BBC, and accusing its correspondent Orla Guerin of anti-Semitism. All of these are not Arab immigrants, and their causes are known.

Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz was more honest than all of the above, as it frankly said that tension in the Middle East has increased anti-Semitism incidents, and that they have increased further between March and May 2003, because of the war on Iraq.

I will not hold all Jews accountable for the war on Iraq, as this is the product of neo-conservatives, who represent their own extremism and hatred, and do not represent all Jews. But I insist that the spreading anti-Semitism, which I acknowledged the responsibility of Arabs and Muslims for much of it in Europe, will not be solved by denying the Israeli cause, and defending the government of war criminals led by Ariel Sharon; the entire world is seeing the daily acts of killing and destruction, and is being affected and reacts to them. The nature of things makes Arabs and Muslims more affected than others, and the nature of things makes the youth go out of control, and respond in a wrong way.

Anti-Semitism must be rejected and condemned; it is not acceptable to search for justifications for it. I insist that treating it starts by differentiating between Jews, and the extremist Israeli government headed by the famous war criminals. They are certainly not responsible for this, it is not right for them to carry this load, and if they condemn such actions, they would be taking the first step towards fighting anti-Semitism. As for silence, it only means taking part in the Israeli crime. The choice is in the hands of Jews, and not in my hands or in the hands of any young North African immigrant living in the suburbs of Paris.