Main focus of Wednesday, January 14, 2009

The Gaza conflict in Europe

While Israel continues its military action against the radical Islamist Hamas, the Gaza conflict is increasingly making itself felt within Europe. The European press comments on protests against Israel in individual countries and warns of a new wave of anti-Semitism.

Le Monde - France

In the French daily Le Monde, Raphaël Haddad, president of the Union of Jewish Students in France (UEJF), expresses concern that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict could be spreading to France: "In the past ten days France has seen a shocking new outbreak of anti-Semitism - mostly on the fringes of pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Grenoble, Villeurbanne, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Aubervilliers, Lingolsheim, Paris, Nice, Lyon, Metz: The list of cities where anti-Semitic actions have taken place is growing. Our nightmare has reawakened. ... First the attacks on buildings ... then on people. ... Defaced businesses, attacks on synagogues, Jews as the target of insults, threats and beatings. ... Until only recently no one would have believed that such an intense wave of anti-Semitism could break out again. During the second Intifada in 2001 it took 400 acts of aggression before a new outbreak of anti-Semitism was recognised. ... We don't have to wait for someone to be killed to make an appeal for peace in the Republic." (12/01/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Religion, » Minorities, » Social movements, » France
All available articles from » Raphaël Haddad

Jyllands-Posten - Denmark

The war in Gaza has spawned worldwide condemnation of Israel. The Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten criticises calls for a boycott of Jewish businesses in Denmark: "It seems that a whole slew of parties, organisations and outstanding people who limit their criticism to Israel have a patent on goodness, justice and humanism. Margrethe Vestager, leader of the Radical Liberal Party, gloats over her humane buying behaviour which is clearly a cut above that of those who do not share her opinion. The hatred in Denmark of the only democracy in the Middle East and its fight for survival goes hand in hand with political naivity and self-satisfied political correctness. The Palestinian rhetoric of violence as well as the real use of violence together with Nazi symbols awaken memories of a dark past that we should never forget and from which everyone should have learned." (14/01/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Minorities, » History, » Denmark

Polska - Poland

The daily Polska comments on the anti-Isreali protests in Italy and notes their left-wing roots. "In Rome the leftist Italian trade union Flaica-uniti-Cub distributed flyers calling for a boycott on Jewish businesses in protest at Israel's attacks on Palestine. ... Italian journalists have noted the spirit of the fascist Italian Mussolini has been revived along along the Tiber River. Political expert ... Friedman Buttner has ... said that the teachings of Karl Marx have gone to the Italian Left's head. This is true, for nowadays we seldom recall the intense anti-Semitism of this idol of the Left. ... Marx's hatred of the bourgeois and capitalism led to the birth of an ideology that is among the most criminal in the history of mankind. ... In his work 'On the Jewish Question' Marx wrote: 'What is the secular basis of Judaism? Practical need, self-interest. What is his worldly God? Money.'" (13/01/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Poland
All available articles from » Łukasz Adamski

De Volkskrant - Netherlands

A latent anti-Semitism is influencing the debate over Gaza, writes De Volkskrant newspaper: "The propaganda war is at least as virulent as the fighting on the front. But even if perceptions of reality do not always agree with reality itself, the emotions that this conflict has engendered are a political fact. The hasty and uncritical support shown by Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende and Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen immediately after the start of the Israeli air attacks did the cabinet a disservice. ... Every standpoint in this conflict will meet with criticism, but that is no reason to ignore criticism altogether. After the murder of the film director Theo van Gogh [who expressed criticism of Islam] and before [Geert Wilders' anti-Koran film] Fitna came out, people rightly called on Dutch Muslims to keep a cool head. With success. If we want to avoid tensions now, the government must present its views to the public more convincingly." (14/01/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Netherlands, » Middle East

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