Europe – German Chancellor Merkel – "The Union is Always Prepared to Combat Antisemitism

On 16^th May 2007, a discussion was held at the European Union House in Brussels with the participation of senior EU representatives including German Chancellor and Current President of the Union Angela Merkel, the President of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering and the President of the European Union. Also participating were representatives of the monotheistic religions, including senior Vatican representatives as well those of Sunni and Shiite Islam. The Jewish communities were represented by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi if Britain, who is also Associate President of the Conference and members of the Standing Committee: Rabbi David Liberman, the Chief Rabbi of Antwerp and Rabbi Avraham Guttman, the Chief Rabbi of Strasbourg.

Each year, the European Union gathers together the senior representatives of the monotheistic religions at EU offices to discuss important issues at senior level. Those invited to this meeting included the senior Vatican representative on relations with the Jews, Walter Cardinal Kasper, and other European cardinals and representatives of Protestant and Orthodox Churches as well as senior representatives of Sunni and Shiite Islam.

Rabbi Sacks said during the discussion that European Jewish communities were seriously concerned over the increase in antisemtic incidents in Europe and demanded that the leaders of the EU take strong measures against the phenomenon. Rabbi Liberman said that it is very important to teach the European youth about the customs of the various religions in their countries, as well as about their life-styles and their history so that they can know that the presence of Jews in Europe is a natural phenomenon. In response to the rabbis' words German Chancellor and current President of the European Union Council, Angela Merkel, said that the Union was always ready to combat antisemitism because: "New laws [enacted] in the EU require that the member States increase their battle against incidents of racism and especially antisemitism".

Source: http://www.inn.co.il/

Date: 16^th May 2007

Posted: 17 May 2007