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January 2009 In the wake of Operation Cast Lead Overview and Trends

Antisemitism. January 2009 In the wake of Operation Cast Lead Overview and Trends. Operation Cast Lead and Antisemitic Incidents - Characteristics.

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January 2009 In the wake of Operation Cast Lead Overview and Trends

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  1. Antisemitism January 2009 In the wake of Operation Cast Lead Overview and Trends

  2. Operation Cast Lead and Antisemitic Incidents - Characteristics • The reactions to Operation Cast Lead prove yet again the impact the Israel Arab and particularly Israel-Palestinian dispute has on Jewish communities abroad • A sharp rise in the number and intensity of antisemitic incidents – about 250 till 23 Jan. as opposed to 78 for the same period last year and a general decline in incidents in ’08 • Prominent were physical attacks, damage to community buildings and private property as well mass demonstrations worldwide featuring violent antisemitic slogans

  3. Incidents were mostly perpetrated by Muslims from large local Muslim communities including Palestinians – mainly in France, Britain, Belgium, Scandinavia, Germany and the USA • The damage to Gaza and hatred towards Israel and Jews created consensus between rival Islamic movements • Antisemitic and anti-Israel propaganda inciting to terror - disseminated by Muslim states and radical organizations - increased extensively, influencing millions of Muslims globally and laying the ground for the harassment of Jews and Israelis and the support of terror • The threat of Global Jihad, Hizballah and/or local Muslim terror attacks (Mumbai) against Jewish communities increased, motivated by the desire to avenge Mughaniyeh’s liquidation

  4. France • Since OCL France has lead with the number and severity of incidents (similar to Intifada II period in ’02): • Demonstrations in more than 100 cities with thousands of participants • Over 100 antisemitic incidents, almost half of them violent and most of them in Paris

  5. The demonstrations were planned and organized by the local Muslim community, Palestinian Diaspora and black Palestinians (Collectif Palestin) • High level of violence particularly where there are large concentrations of Muslims and Jews as in certain quarters of Paris and its surroundings (Sarcelle) and in the south of France. • Youngsters of 13-15 were prominent at demonstrations and in perpetrating violent incidents • Black antisemitism, led by Kemi Seba, was particularly active in incitement, threats and violent acts against Jews • In addition to Muslim demonstrations, the French Left and labour unions also held protests, at times in coordination with Muslims/Palestinians

  6. France - Serious Incidents • Shots fired at a synagogue in Marseille (14 Jan.) • Attack attempt on synagogue (5 Jan.) with cars and Molotov cocktails in Toulouse. • Molotov cocktails thrown at synagogues in Paris and Strasbourg (11Jan.) • Synagogue windows smashed in various cities • A Jewish deputy mayor in Strasbourg was held by force in his office by Muslims (28 Dec.) • Jews - some of them very young - were stabbed and beaten • The house of a handicapped Jewish woman and her daughter in Paris was surrounded by a gang of youngsters (7 Jan.)

  7. Population: 60 m. Jews: 550,000 Muslims: approx. 5 m. France – Main locations of events since Operation CL

  8. Attack attempt on synagogue in Toulouse (5 Jan.) with cars and Molotov cocktails

  9. Britain • Sharp rise in antisemitic incidents mainly in London and environs. Over 100 (5 times more than for the same time in ’08), including violence, verbal harassment and graffiti. • Among the serious incidents: violent demonstrations, arson attempt on synagogue in west London, the beating of a Jewish youth who was pulled out of his car by a gang of youngsters, a gang of pro-Palestinians rampaged the Bicom office in London • Presence of large Muslim Pakistani/Indian and Jewish communities in and around London and Manchester. • Large Palestinian population active in organizations e.g. Friends of Al-Aqsa affiliated with the Left • Active Left promoting anti-Israel and antisemitic views, e.g. mass demonstration on 3 Jan. by Stop the War Coalition (extreme pro-Palestinian NGO that calls for boycotting Israel) • Radical Left Jewish organizations: Jews for Justice for Palestinians

  10. Pop: 60 m. Jews: 300,000 Muslims: 1,600,000 Threat groups: Local Muslim pop. Large Palestinian diaspora Palestinian organizations Antagonistic Left organizations Radical Jewish left Cooperation between threat elements • Serious incidents: • Rampage on Israeli Hasbara • Centre (Bicom) in London • Arson attempt on synagogue • Beating of youth pulled out of • his car • Violent demonstrations, calls • for boycotting Israel

  11. London – 10 January – Anti-Israel demonstrations organized by the British-Muslim Initiative

  12. Belgium • Demonstrations in the major cities organized by local Muslims • The size and violent nature of demonstrations are proof of the organizational and infrastructural capabilities of Muslims in Belgium and may indicate their potential threat to the Jewish community • The violent incidents generated by the operation in Gaza are evidence of the Muslim community becoming stronger and more daring. Indications for this were initially seen in Sept. ’08 when violent incidents by Muslims spiked • Serious incidents: Smashed channukiah in Antwerp (28 Dec.), Molotov cocktail thrown at synagogue in Charleroi (5 Jan.), arson attempt of building inhabited by Jews in Antwerp (5 Jan.)

  13. Pop: 10 m. Jews: 35,000 Muslims: 364,000

  14. Scandinavia • Extensive number of demonstrations in numerous cities, attended by the very vocal Left, Palestinian organizations, local Muslims • The Left has for years been creating an antisemitic and anti-Israel atmosphere, tolerated by the authorities. A balanced public dialogue is sorely lacking • Several demonstrations were violent, and required intervention of the authorities • Antisemitic incidents were severe in cities with large Muslim populations and a Jewish community

  15. Arson at the Jewish cemetery of Malmö Arson at synagogue in Helsingborg

  16. Sweden Pop: 9 m. Jews: 18,000 Muslims: 450,000 Threats : Large Muslim communities in Stockholm and Malmo Palestinian diaspora Left activists. 15 Muslim Palestinian organizations and the Left Joined to organize demonstrations. Serious incidents: Arson of cemetery in Malmo and synagogue In Helsingborg

  17. Norway Pop: 4.7 m. Jews: 1200 Muslims: 85,000 Threat : Left, Palestinians and Trade Unions (transport stoppage on 10 January) Serious incidents: Pamphlet disseminated by Arab in Oslo with instructions on how To harass Jews and Israelis.

  18. Denmark Pop: 5.5. m. Jews: 5,000 Muslims: 1,100,000 Threats: Muslim population Palestinian diaspora Serious incidents: Murder attempt on Israelis in Odense Refusal to register Jewish pupils at a school attended by Palestinian children for fear of violence

  19. Pop: 82 m. Jews: 120,000 Muslims: 2,800,000 Mass demonstrations, organized by local Muslims (Turks) and Palestinians Pro-Israel rallies Serious incidents: A synagogue guard was beaten in Berlin Windows of Jewish community building in Rostok smashed In 2008 – until OCL a marked rise in the number of incidents – 3 times more than in 2007. Most of them perpetrated by radical Right that stepped up activity, Especially in former East Germany

  20. Cologne, 13 Jan. – desecration of Jewish Cemetery with “Cyclone B” graffiti

  21. 17-11-2008 Two Jewish cemeteries in former East Germany were desecrated, the head of a pig was placed at the entrance to the cemetery in Gotha

  22. CIS and Former Eastern Bloc • The prominent antisemites here are extreme Right activists – the Gaza operation did not cause an increase in antisemitic activity. • In the CIS – excluding isolated demonstrations – there was a drop in the number of antisemitic incidents in ’08 • In the CIS Muslim States there was no significant antisemitic activity • The head of the Muslim community of Asian Russia again compared Israel’s activity in Gaza to Nazism. Other Muslim leaders from the Slavic CIS are reserved regarding Gaza • In Hungary there were a few demonstrations attended by the extreme Right, Communists, Palestinians and other Arabs • In the Czech Republic there were some anti-Israel demonstrations in Prague and Brno organized by Muslim and Palestinian students. Radical Rightists sent e-mails to Jewish community leaders calling for “fascist Jews to stop the Holocaust against the Palestinians.”

  23. Europe – Distribution of Major Threats Muslims Extreme Right Extreme Left

  24. USA • Steep rise in the number and severity of antisemitic acts since the operation in Gaza. A general rise in antisemitic incidents was noted in ‘08 • Chicago, with the largest Afro-American Muslim population in the USA, registered the highest number of acts (including violent)

  25. Serious incidents: • Arson attack on synagogue in Chicago • Windows of at least 5 synagogues smashed in Chicago and Tennessee • Chabad centre vandalized in Carolina • House of Jewish family vandalized in Arizona • Graffiti on Jewish institutions throughout the USA, threatening calls and harassment • Anti-Israel demonstrations were held around the USA attended and organized by Muslim, Palestinian and other Arab organizations, Left, radical Left Jewish and Human Rights organizations

  26. Sunflower seeds featuring a caricature of a greedy-and-sinister-looking Jew for sale 04-12-2008 Harvard Chabad menorah vandalized 30-12-2008

  27. Holocaust memorial defaced with swastikas in San Francisco 12-11-2008

  28. Chabad synagogue in Miami torched 22-04-2008

  29. Brooklyn Teen Beaten in Crown Heights 16-05-2008

  30. At many of the demonstrations protestors carried Hizballah flags and signs with antisemitic motifs including reference to the Shoah and chanted antisemitic slogans

  31. Latin America • Low number of antisemitic incidents continues • Since the outbreak of Operation Cast Lead there were 40 demonstrations, significant ones in Venezuela, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Nicaragua and Mexico. Most of them were not violent and only a few were antisemitic • Most demonstrations, organized by Muslim, Palestinian and Leftist organizations, were not as large as could have been expected given the presence of extensive Sunni, Shiite and Christian Arab populations

  32. Venezuela • Expulsion of Israeli diplomatic corps from Caracas and demonstrations organized by the regime • Rise in graffiti on Jewish institutions and businesses in Caracas. Jews feel insecure and fear provocations by the Government forcing the community to accept its policies • In ’08, controlled and deliberate use of antisemitic remarks to serve political interests continued. A clearly different attitude is shown to Israel than that to the Jewish community • Close ties between Venezuela and Iran enables Iran to further penetrate Latin America (Bolivia – threatened, too, to sever relations, Equador, Nicaragua) and increase Hizballah’s threat on Jewish communities in other countries

  33. Pop: 26 m. Jews: 15,000 Muslims: 92,000

  34. Caracas – 27 December –“Hitler was right”

  35. Communities in the Arab/Muslim World • Turkey (18,000 Jews in Istanbul and Izmir) • Many mass demonstrations of a violent nature including physical attacks on Israeli objects. Government’s radical position against the Gaza operation, may have fueled the antisemitic atmosphere • Blatant antisemitic remarks including threats to Jews and Jewish-owned businesses • Fear for the community’s safety as result of the harsh events and due to the pressure brought to bear on the community against its will to condemn Israel

  36. Iran(17,000 Jews of “protיgי” status.) No antisemitic incidents took place, although we assess that Iran’s stand and the atmosphere regarding Gaza, worries the community, which against its will, must support regime policy and condemn Israel during crises Communities in the Arab/Muslim World

  37. Yemen(300 Jews, personal protיgיs of the President.) Since the Gaza operation there has been sporadic harassment of Jews in Raydah as part of in-fighting between tribal proteges (began in Dec.’08 and peaked with the murder of Moshe Nahari on 12 Dec., prior to the operation) Communities in the Arab/Muslim World

  38. Operation Cast Lead - Insights • The Gaza crisis proved yet again that local Muslim populations are the dominant antisemitic factor - particularly in Europe – and pose the highest threat to Jews including terror • In “normal” times acts against Jews are carried out – on the fringe – by Muslims in areas where they have a strong social, cultural and religious infrastructure. In times of crisis, unusually violent activity by radicals is legitimized by their societies • The local Muslim population demonstrated the capability to get organized immediately and succeeded in bringing large groups of people to the streets over an extended period • This development may indicate that the Muslim community is becoming more established in the respective countries, is gaining social and political power and thus confidence while developing separatist tendencies and emphasizing Islamic solidarity • This development, while producing a second generation of immigrants, will assist in making the Muslim community a convenient infrastructure for global terrorists to attack Israeli, Jewish and Western targets

  39. In the Wake of Operation Cast Lead - Insights • The « demonization » and delegitimization of Israel in propaganda disseminated by Leftist and Human Rights organizations intensifies the hostile mood against Israel and its supporters, and promotes radical stands of local Muslims • The radical Right , as a classic antisemitic force, was not particularly active during the Gaza operation and is still directing most of its energy against immigrants, including Muslims. • Steps taken by the authorities in « normal » times to fight antisemitism were ineffective in the face of the wave of hatred against Israel seen during Operation Cast Lead

  40. Forecast • With the ceasefire there has already been a marked decline in the number and intensity of antisemitic incidents. However, in the short term, activity might rise again once the results of the operation become evident • In the medium term, as long as the non-fighting continues, we can expect a decline in antisemitic activity, however, we assess that the general level of antisemitism will remain higher than before the operation • In the long term, the consolidation of the local Muslim population, encouraged by radical Left elements, particularly in Europe, is likely – during similar crises – to impact on the rising trend of antisemitism • An intensification of the economic crisis in ’09, especially affecting the lower classes, is likely to generate activity, mainly by the extreme Right, against foreigners in general and against Jews in particular who are accused of being the major cause of the global financial crisis

  41. “The Jews are in control and also profit from the current economy crisis which they have created.” The demonic Jew controls both McCain and Obama. From the Saudi Arabian newspaper Al-Wathan 14/10/2008 The United States is transferring money to Jews on the back of  Wall St. From the Jordanian newspaper Al- Dustur

  42. Iran, Arab countries and terrorist organizations will continue leading the dissemination of antisemitic and anti-Israeli propaganda, which in turn encourages local Muslims to support terror The threat of Global Jihad terror against Jewish targets and concentrations of Israelis is likely to intensify and the level of the Hizballah threat supported by Iran - particularly in Latin America – will remain high in the short term Forecast

  43. Forecast Another flare-up in the region, similar to the Gaza operation, will probably lead to an even more severe outbreak of antisemitic activity against communities worldwide

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