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The NEW Anti-Semitism
...an End Time Factor?
Warning Issued on
Rising Racism in Europe
By PAUL AMES, Associated Press Writer
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Racism and religious intolerance are rising in
Europe, with Muslims and Jews targeted in a misguided backlash against
global terrorism and Middle East violence, delegates at an international
conference on racism said.
Hostility toward Muslims has increased markedly over the past three
years, a report by a human rights group said. Another found resurgent
anti-Semitism has created a climate of intimidation.
"The situation is getting worse, not better," warned Bashy Quraishy,
chairman of the European Network Against Racism. "There have been a lot
of beautiful words, but we want to know what the politicians are going
to do."
The two-day conference of The Organization for Security and Cooperation
(news - web sites) in Europe drew government officials from more than 50
nations, religious leaders and more than 130 non-governmental
organizations.
They received a grim picture. Although campaign groups complained about
the lack of government statistics on hate crimes, they said there was
overwhelming evidence that violence and intolerance on the rise.
"I'm here to launch a cry of alarm ... anti-Semitism is back, the
monster is among us again," said Cobi Benatoff, president of the
European Jewish Committee.
A new report from the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights
found widespread hostility toward Muslims in Europe, with verbal and
physical attacks as well as discrimination in employment and housing
increasing markedly after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United
States and the Madrid train bombings on March 11.
The report found the views on terrorism have led to increased antagonism
toward the 15 million-plus Muslims in the European Union (news - web
sites) sparking attacks "ranging from slurs and insults in the street to
vandalism and serious physical violence."
Turkey's representative, ambassador Omur Orrin, appealed for governments
and the media to avoid linking Muslims with extremism and terrorism.
"I regretfully notice a repeated tendency to equate violence and
terrorism with a religion, namely Islam," Orrin said.
Aside from prominent attacks on Jewish cemeteries, schools and
synagogues, resurgent anti-Semitism has led to "hundreds of attacks on
ordinary people that go largely unreported and a climate of intimidation
and fear in which the possibility of attack terrorizes whole
communities," said a report by the New York-based Human Rights First.
The group's executive director, Michael Posner, said violence against
Jews was coming both from neo-Nazi groups and from Arab immigrant youths
responding to Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
While attacks on Jews and Muslims have grabbed headlines, campaign
groups said racism in Europe was much wider, from Gypsies facing
discrimination in housing and jobs in Eastern Europe to asylum seekers
beaten "for sport" in Scotland.
Campaigners presented European governments with a wish list of measures
to fight racism including;
_ a common European definition of hate crimes and the adoption of
specific hate crime legislation by all countries.
_ increased monitoring and dissemination of data on racism and hate
crimes.
_ the appointment of a high official at European level to coordinate
anti-racism policies.
_ improved training of law enforcement officials to ensure better
implementation of anti-racism legislation.
_ more resources for education and public awareness campaigns.
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