EU Jewish leader: Anti-Semitism spurred by economy, not Gaza war

[azurnoir]

The leader of the European Jewish Congress said Wednesday the main blame for growing anti-Semitism across the continent was the economic crisis, not the Gaza war.

Congress President Moshe Kantor said that what he believes to be anti-Semitism levels unseen since World War II had nothing to do with Middle East issues.

"Economical things trigger humanitarian tragedies," he said. "Jews were made scapegoats for economic difficulties Germany faced in the 1930s," he said. "And this is the lesson."

A recent survey for the U.S. based Anti-Defamation League conducted in Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Spain and Britain found that 31 percent of respondents blame Jews in the financial industry at least a little for the global financial meltdown.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1065223.html

[LeftishBrit]

1. I tend to agree...

problems in the Middle East get used as an excuse; but racism (including antisemitism) is mainly for other reasons, and does tend to go up in hard economic times. People use scapegoats, based on existing prejudices: "the immigrants take our jobs"; "black people cheat the benefits system"; "the Jews control the banks". Aaarrrrrggghhhhh!!!

[Idealism]

2. I would imagine racism of all types goes up exponentially in recessions

In Florida, I hear "they're taking our jobs" quite a lot by those who live in the Northern part of the state, referring to all Hispanics, but Cubans specifically. To these ignoramuses, there is no distinction between a Mexican or a Cuban- they all 'steal jobs'

[applegrove]

3. The Gaza war didn't help.

[oberliner]

4. Why would the Gaza war lead to anti-semitism in Europe?

What do European Jewish people have to do with the actions of the Israeli government?

[Behind the Aegis]

5. Are you being serious?!

[Bryan Sacks]

6. I'm serious. Are you saying they do have something to do with it?

[Behind the Aegis]

7. They didn't, but that has nothing to do with the reason I asked my question.

[Bryan Sacks]

9. I'm curious, then. Why'd you ask? n/t

[applegrove]

8. We had some kids in Montreal firebomb a Torah school. Their mother helped them.

They were followers of Islam. Perhaps there are more people with sympathies against Israel these days. And Jewish people get lumped in with Israel. Of course it isn't fair. Anyone who is spraypainting or fire bombing is already missing a few screws. Even if it is one in 1000 who are nutty that way something like the Gaza War gives them the excuse to lash out at innocent people.