BELGIUM: ANTI-SEMITISM IN ANTWERP AHEAD OF A SEMINAR IN BRUSSELS ON THE ROLE OF JEWISH COMMUNITIES IN EUROPE.
Record ID:
646846
BELGIUM: ANTI-SEMITISM IN ANTWERP AHEAD OF A SEMINAR IN BRUSSELS ON THE ROLE OF JEWISH COMMUNITIES IN EUROPE.
- Title: BELGIUM: ANTI-SEMITISM IN ANTWERP AHEAD OF A SEMINAR IN BRUSSELS ON THE ROLE OF JEWISH COMMUNITIES IN EUROPE.
- Date: 17th February 2004
- Summary: (EU)ANTWERP, BELGIUM (FILE - APRIL 3, 2002)(REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. CU/ZOOM OUT: FROM IMPACT OF MOLOTOV COCKTAIL ON WINDOW OF JEWISH SYNAGOGUE TO WIDE VIEW OF ORTHODOX JEWISH YOUNGSTERS ENTERING THE SYNAGOGUE. 0.16 2. ORTHODOX JEWISH YOUNGSTERS LOOKING AT THE DAMAGE FROM THE MOLOTOV COCKTAIL / PAN / TO DAMAGED WINDOW. 0.21 3. MV: JEWISH YOUNGSTER CLOSING THE DOOR OF THE SYNAGOGUE. 0.25 (EU)ANTWERP, BELGIUM (FEBRUARY 17, 2004)(REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 4. SCU: (SOUNDBITE)(Dutch) SECRETARY OF THE FORUM OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITIES, DIANE KEYSER, SPEAKING ABOUT THE INCREASE OF HARASSMENTS AGAINST JEWISH PEOPLE IN ANTWERP, SAYING: "There haven't been attacks lately of a very serious nature, but in the last few years, we have had a number of cases where people ended up in hospital, people that have been attacked on the street, whether it be physical attacks or verbal attacks. It happens very often that kids of Jewish youth organisations get booed as "filthy Jews" when they play football in the park. This happens almost every day." 0.54 5. ZOOM OUT FROM TWO ORTHODOX JEWS TO WIDE VIEW OF SYNAGOGUE IN THE DIAMOND CENTRE OF ANTWERP, WHERE A PLO CAR BOMB CAUSED THREE VICTIMS IN 1981. 1.12 6. SCU: (SOUNDBITE)(Dutch) PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP, LUDO ABICHT, EXPLAINING THE BACKGROUND OF TENSIONS BETWEEN JEWISH AND ARAB COMMUNITY IN ANTWERP, SAYING: "In a democracy, everybody has the right to express their opinion. You can, of course, demonstrate against - or in favour - of Sharon's policy. It happens often at such demonstrations of actions that carry legitimate slogans such as 'more peace in the Middle East', 'no to the occupation' - you will see very often in the sideline of these demos, small groups of people who go easily from anti-zionist slogans and criticizing Israel to outright anti semitic slogans against all that is Jewish. It is not an official stand, but it nevertheless happens." 1.53 (EU)ANTWERP, BELGIUM (FILE - APRIL 3, 2002)(REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 7. MV: DEMONSTRATORS SHOWING SIGN SAYING "SHARON=HITLER" AND SHOUTING THE SAME SLOGAN. 1.56 8. MV: DEMONSTRATORS TEARING APART A FLAG OF ISRAEL. 2.10 9. WS: OF PRO-PALESTINIAN DEMO FROM BEHIND THE POLICE CORDON. 2.14 (EU)ANTWERP, BELGIUM (FEBRUARY 17, 2004)(REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 10. TILT DOWN: ON HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE JEWISH NEIGHBOURHOOD IN ANTWERP. 2.28 11. CU/PAN FROM LEFT TO RIGHT OF COMMEMORATIVE PLATE SAYING IN DUTCH "WE SHOW ETHERNAL GRATITUDE TO ALL OF THEM WHO, AT RISK OF THEIR OWN LIFE, HAVE FREED US FROM THE HORRORS OF THE NAZIS" 2.35 12. VARIOUS: OF JEWISH CHILDREN AS THEY LEAVE SCHOOL AND GO HOME. (2 SHOTS) 2.59 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 3rd March 2004 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: ANTWERP, BELGIUM
- Country: Belgium
- Reuters ID: LVACMKUN59HE4YKNPKR50HEHE2AH
- Story Text: A seminar to address the issue of anti-Semitism in
the broader perspective of the role of the Jewish
communities in Europe is due to begin in Brussels.
Under the auspices of the European Commission, the
European Jewish Congress and the Congress of European
Rabbis, a seminar dealing with the issue of anti-Semitism
takes place in Brussels on Thursday (February 19).
President Romano Prodi has called the seminar to address
the issue of anti-Semitism in the broader perspective of
the role of the Jewish communities in Europe:
The seminar brings together leading figures from public
life and representatives of communities of faith. Among
them are Joschka Fisher, Elie Wiesel, and Avraham Burg. The
sessions will cover the nature and values of today's
Europe, anti-Semitism, relations between Israel and the
European Union, the interfaith dialogue and the historical
and cultural dimension of European Jewry. .
Rockwell Schnabel, the U.S. Representative to the
European Union, contended that 'anti-Semitism is near to
reach a point which is comparable to the Thirties'.
Schnabel said this during a dinner on the opportunity of
the foundation of the Transatlantic Institute, which is
settled in Brussels by the American Jewish Committee (AJA).
This Institute wants to work out good European-American
relationships and to contend with anti-Semitism.
Such a statement is very controversial. References to
the Thirties immediately call up the execution of the Jews
during the Second World War. In this sense it's difficult
to believe in an upcoming anti-Semitism comparable to the 30s.
But what about anti-Semitism in Antwerp, which is a very
multicultural city where a lot of Jewish communities are
living next to Arabian communities?
According to Diane Keyser, secretary of the Forum of
the Jewish Communities in Antwerp, the conflict in the
Middle East is more and more influencing the relationships
between Arabian and Jewish people in the city.
"There haven't been attacks lately of a very serious
nature, but in the last few years, we have had a number of
cases where people ended up in hospital, people that have
been attacked on the street, whether it be physical attacks
or verbal attacks. It happens very often that kids of
Jewish youth organisations get booed as "filthy Jews" when
they play football in the park. This happens almost every
day," she said.
Ludo Abicht, who is Professor at the University of
Antwerp and specialised in Middle East studies, states that
it's important to make the distinction between
anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism. Anti-Zionism is defined as
criticizing the current politics of Israel while
anti-Semitism can be defined as against Jewish people.
Explaining the background to tensions between Jewish
and Arab communities in Antwerp, Abicht said:
"In a democracy, everybody has the right to express
their opinion. You can, of course, demonstrate against -
or in favour - of Sharon's policy. It happens often at such
demonstrations of actions that carry legitimate slogans
such as 'more peace in the Middle East', 'no to the
occupation' - you will see very often in the sideline of
these demos, small groups of people who go easily from
anti-zionist slogans and criticizing Israel to outright
anti semitic slogans against all that is Jewish. It is not
an official stand, but it nevertheless happens."
In the meantime, the orthodox Jews in Antwerp don't
seem to feel these tensions in the course of their daily
life. Going to their Synagogues and shops, talking with
each other in the streets of Antwerp, they seem to get
along with all kinds of people without any problems.
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