2012 ANTI-SEMITISM REPORT
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND DIASPORA AFFAIRS MINISTER EDELSTEIN TO BRIEF CABINET ON
2012 ANTI-SEMITISM REPORT
(Communicated by the Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Ministry
Spokesman)
Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Minister Yuli Edelstein will, at the
weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday, 27 January 2013), on the occasion of
International Holocaust Remembrance
Day<www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/
communiques/International_
findings of the 2012 report on trends in anti-Semitism.
The report indicates an increase in the number of terrorist attacks and
attempted terrorist attacks against Jewish targets, mainly by elements
identified with extremist Islamic movements or the radical Right, and a
sharp increase in the harassment of Jews, including verbal and physical
violence, mainly in Western Europe, in proximity to Jewish community
centers. The most severe incident was the deadly 19 March 2012 shooting
attack at a Jewish school in
Toulouse<www.mfa.gov.
tims_Toulouse_attack_buried_
three children were murdered.
Regarding online media, the report notes the continuing trend of expressions
of hatred and anti-Semitism on various Internet sites, social media and
smartphone applications. In this regard, the Ministry of Public Diplomacy
and Diaspora Affairs announces that following its appeal to Google, the
company has removed an anti-Semitic application in Arabic from its online
applications store. This was the so-called ‘Hitler application’ that, inter
alia, offered quotes by the Nazi dictator.
Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Minister Edelstein said, „The report
clearly shows that the oft-used premise that this or that policy of the
State of Israel leads to an increase or decrease in anti-Semitic incidents
is absolutely without foundation. As evidence, one may note that during and
after Operation Pillar of
Defense<www.mfa.gov.il/
H_Ceasefire_Pillar_of_Defense_
the number of anti-Semitic incidents. There is no doubt that against the
background of anti-Semitic phenomena, there are also anti-Zionist approaches
and the delegitimization of the State of Israel. However, to our regret, no
policy by the State of Israel affects or reduces these manifestations of
racist hatred towards Jews.”
