USA – Anti-Semitism in the US

Abe Foxman reports: "One of every three Americans believes that American Jews are more loyal to Israel than to the United States. Over the past thirty years there has been a 15% decrease in the number of anti-Semitic incidents, from 30 to 15 percent but it is still very disturbing that 35 million people were involved in such incidents."

The number of anti-Semitic incidents dropped from 1757 during 2005 to approximately 1350 incidents during 2007.

The Israeli immigration, absorption and Diaspora committee headed by Chairman Knesset member Prof. Michael Nudelman hosted today Mr. Abe Foxman, the global chief executive officer of the Anti-Defamation League. Mr. Foxman described to the committee the current characteristics of anti-Semitism in the United States.

Abe Foxman, the global chief executive officer of the Anti-Defamation League said: "Although there has been a 15% decrease in the number of anti-Semitic incidents, from 30 to 15 percent we are still talking about 35 million adults involved in such incidents throughout the United States". Mr. Foxman described to the committee the instruments developed by the Anti-Defamation League to estimate the extent of the anti-Semitic incidents and the attitude toward them. He elaborated on the difficulty of eradicating the growing anti-Semitism in the internet and called upon all the participants to eradicate it using creative methods. Mr. Foxman said: "The internet is being used as an effective means to spread hate and racism in a manner that even Joseph Goebbels did not imagine". In addition, he mentioned that a new technology should be found to eradicate the anti-Semitism in the internet. Mr. Foxman said that during the 1950's the Anti-Defamation League acted to promote legislation that allowed freedom of speech but was obligated to take responsibility and bear the consequences of such actions. According to Mr. Foxman, a price is paid in the United Stated for being anti-Semitic. He brought the actor Mel Gibson as an example for someone who lost some of his popularity because of anti-Semitic remarks. In addition, Mr. Foxman said that anti-Semitism has become accepted in the mainstream as well as in Academia and is no longer common only to extremist groups.

The number of anti-Semitic incidents dropped from 1757 during 2005 to approximately 1350 incidents during 2007.

According to Mr. Foxman, American Jews were granted rights as individuals but not as a group in the past 60 years.

Source: www.knesset.gov.il

Date: February 19^th, 2008.

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