Recently, during a debate, the European Parliament together with European Commissioner Margaritis Schinas (Promotion of the European Way of Life) expressed their concerns regarding the escalating violence aimed at Jewish communities. Both the Parliament and the Commission articulated significant worries about the rise of anti-Semitism and anti-Jewish attitudes throughout Europe. Schinas asserted, “The threat of anti-Semitism persists and must be fought with determination.”
Dutch MEP Thijs Reuten (GroenLinks-PvdA) condemned the targeted harassment of Maccabi fans and other Israeli visitors, declaring, “Such actions cannot be justified.” His colleague, Sander Smit (BBB), emphasized the necessity of accountability, stating that those responsible for anti-Semitism should confront “the full weight of the law.”
Other Dutch MEPs criticized certain politicians for inflaming tensions through their statements. Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy (D66, Renew) noted, “Politicians have made sweeping generalizations about entire populations without understanding all the nuances, thereby endangering hundreds of thousands for political purposes.”
Members of the Patriots for Europe alliance, including the PVV led by Geert Wilders, attributed incidents of anti-Semitic violence to “newcomers and Islamist migrants,” as articulated by Danish MEP Anders Vistisen. In contrast, Dutch MEP Anja Hazekamp (Party for the Animals) emphasized that there is no justification for either anti-Semitism or anti-Muslim sentiments, stating, “Not even within the European Parliament.”
Across various political factions, MEPs from different member states joined forces in demanding the identification, prosecution, and imprisonment of those responsible for the violence in Amsterdam, highlighting the importance of ensuring that Jews feel secure.
“Jews are once again confronted with fear,” cautioned Tomas Tobé of the center-right EPP. “This reflects one of the bleakest periods in our history.” Several MEPs also made references to the Holocaust throughout the conversation.
(November 13, 2024)
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