Islamofascist aggression against Jews in France on the upswing:
The continuing attacks on Jews and Jewish institutions in France have now surpassed three hundred since October 2000 -- more numerous than in any other Western country. The targeting of synagogues, schools, cemeteries, and individuals has occurred with alarming frequency since the outbreak of Intifada II in October 2000. Meanwhile, the refusal of French authorities to acknowledge these hate crimes as anti-Jewish in nature is prompting a growing feeling of abandonment and of isolation among French Jewry.
In an attempt to confront the problem head on, the Wiesenthal Center has had ongoing discussions with officials in the Prime Minister’s office and other government leaders but to date, there is little evidence that the French government is prepared to deal forcefully with the problems at hand. For example, in a June 2001 meeting with the French Foreign Minister, the Center’s delegation was told that assaults on Jewish institutions were "only acts of suburban hooliganism."
The Center is redoubling its efforts in dealing with this ongoing crisis. It is just releasing "Antisemitism 2002" in France a report which lists the most serious antisemitic attacks.
wiesenthal.com
Rabbi Cooper, the Center’s associate dean has just spent the week in France where he briefed leaders of the Council of Europe on the continuing attacks on Jewish institutions. He, together with Dr. Shimon Samuels, the Center's Paris-based Director for International Liaison, participated in a one day Wiesenthal Center conference, "Anti-Jewish Aggression" under the auspices of the mayor of Paris. They also met with the French Interior Minister to press for long delayed measures to curb the violence, prosecute the perpetrators, and act against those who inspire the hate. |
