Channels

Photo: WJC
WJC president Ron Lauder with Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo
Photo: WJC

WJC, Belgium to set up joint task force to battle anti-Semitism

In meeting with 38 Jewish leaders, Belgian PM vows there will be no tolerance of hate speech in country.

Belgium's government has agreed on Monday to work with the World Jewish Congress (WJC) to improve Holocaust education in the country and cooperate in the battle against anti-Semitism, racism and terrorism.

 

 

WJC's solidarity mission, comprised of 38 Jewish leaders, met with Belgium's Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo and senior Belgian cabinet members on Monday in the wake of the deadly shooting at the Brussels Jewish Museum on May 24.

 

Prime Minister Di Rupo and the Jewish leaders agreed to set up a joint commission of the Belgian government, the WJC and the Jewish community of Belgium tasked with "identifying measures to improve security for the Jewish community, to fight growing hatred, including on the internet, to strengthen Holocaust education in schools and to facilitate the exchange of information," a WJC statement said.

 

Related stories:

 

Di Rupo vowed there would be no tolerance of hate speech in Belgium, and called for close European cooperation to fight radical movements, including on the concern jihadists returning from the Syria conflict would commit terror acts in Europe.

 

Speaking outside the Jewish Museum in Brussels, WJC President Ronald S. Lauder called on European authorities to act firmly and decisively to stop violent fanatics.

 

"Coming back to a Europe they hate, they were taught to kill. How we stop them, I don't know, but we know very much that security forces today in Europe have to be made much stronger. They are not able yet to handle some of these people," Lauder said.

 

According to Lauder, sharing of intelligence between the different EU countries was vital to battle counterterrorism.

 

The threat these Islamists pose "not only affects Jews, it also affects Christians in the Middle East. Thousands have fled from Syria. It’s the same ideology."

 

Lauder also asserted the Middle East conflict was not to blame for the rising tide of radicalism and hatred.

 

"Even if Israel made peace with the Palestinians tomorrow, this wouldn’t eradicate anti-Semitism," he said.

 


פרסום ראשון: 06.03.14, 12:23
 new comment
Warning:
This will delete your current comment