Report of Anti-Semitic Incidents - Feb-98

Report of Anti-Semitic Incidents - February, 1998

General

There were a relatively small number of violent incidents of anti-Semitic nature against Jews and Jewish installations in comparison with January. But four of them were attack attempts: In Uruguay a pipe explosive charge was planted in a Jewish-owned restaurant, in Argentina a dummy explosive charge was planted at the entrance to a Jewesss home, there was an attempt to set a Jewish old peoples home on fire in London and in Lithuania the home of the director of a Jewish synagogue was burnt after he had received threats on his life.

In a number of countries (Britain, Spain, Argentina and Brazil) threats and (false) alarms were received by Jewish installations and Jews on the planting of bombs for anti-Semitic motives. There were many manifestations of anti-Semitic propaganda in publications, over the Internet, electronic media and in the street in various places throughout the world.

In the sphere of struggle against manifestations of anti-Semitism and racism, mention should be made of the conviction in France of the Holocaust denier Roger Garaudy and steps taken by Germany and Sweden against manifestations of Neo-Nazism.

Attacks and Incidents

Uruguay - A pipe explosive charge exploded in a Jewish-owned restaurant, which sells, kosher food and which is located on San Jose Street in Montevideo. At the time of the explosion the restaurant was closed and only property damage was caused. A passerby was slightly injured.

Argentina - A dummy explosive charge was found at the entrance to the home of a Jews from the Lanus neighborhood. There was a note on the charge addressed to Minister of Interior Corach and Governor of Buenos Aires Province Dualde on which was written: Take note, Jews are dying. There will be a third attack soon. The note was signed with the initials of most of the local radical right-wing organizations as well as various international terrorist organizations.

Britain - Unidentified persons tried to set fire to the Sarah Tankel House old peoples home in London. Papers were stuffed through the mail slot in the front door and set on fire. The papers did not burn inside the building and no damage was done. The reason for the act is unclear.

Portugal - The synagogue of the Belmont Jewish community was broken into three times this month. During the break-ins locks were picked and damaged. A number of items were stolen from the synagogue.

Latvia - The synagogue of the Rezikne community, which is in east Latvia, was broken into. The equipment on the premises was damaged and windows and light fixtures were broken.

Lithuania - The home of the synagogue director in the city of Kaunas was burned. This came after he had received a number of threats on his life and the entrance door to his home was painted. The residents of the house suffered slight smoke injuries and there was property damage.

Australia - Two Holocaust deniers harassed Holocaust survivors that work in the Jewish museum in Darlinghurst, Sydney.

Threats

Britain - Anti Semitic telephone calls were received at the home of the chief editor of the anti-Nazi newspaper Searchlight.

The Jewish owner of a shop in London received an anti-Semitic threatening letter in which the writer threatened to harm the Jew and his family. This followed after an argument between the shop owner and the sender a few days previously at the store entrance. Graffiti were also drawn on the shop window.

Spain - A Jews who lives in a village near the city of Torremolinos received an anti-Semitic threatening letter from a group of skinheads in the city. Among other things, the letter said: We hope to catch you one by one - it will be very bad for you. We know where you go. We know everything about you. In another month or two strange things will start to happen - White Europe.

Argentina - A threatening announcement of a bomb planted in the Jewish Agency building in Peron Street, Buenos Aires was received on the answering machine of the communitys emergency number. The place was searched but nothing was found.

Brazil - An anonymous threat on the planting of a bomb was received in a building where there is a synagogue belonging to the Jewish community in Porto Alegre. The JNF and Bnai Brith are also situated in that building. The place was evacuated and searched but nothing was found.

Anti-Semitic Propaganda

Britain - Two identical anti-Semitic letters were received by the Glasgow- Israel Committee and a Jewish MP. The letters referred negatively to the fact that British soldiers have to participate in a war against Iraq for the Jews in Israel.

While worshippers were leaving the Kenton synagogue in Middlesex a group of youths from the school opposite shouted humiliating anti-Semitic slogans such as Hitler is the greatest. The synagogue janitor complained of the school students behavior and they were reprimanded by the school principal.

Two letters with similar anti-Semitic content referring to Anna Frank were received by a member of the Jewish community and a Jewish MP. One of the leaflets enclosed stated that Anna Frank had had romantic relations with Hitler.

Anti-Semitic and racist remarks were shouted at an Israeli player who plays for a British soccer team. Following the incident, a number of newspapers referred to the subject of racism on the soccer fields.

An anti-Semitic envelope was received in a Jewish hostel in London. The words The Nazis are coming and a drawing of a swastika were written on the envelope.

Abusive remarks and insults were shouted from a passing car at the guard of the Mill Hill United synagogue in London.

Germany - Three anti-Semitic postcards were received by the Jewish community in Munich. These postcards are identical to those postcards received by the community in November 1997. This time they did not contain threat only abusive remarks.

Hungary - Two swastikas were drawn on the walls of the entrance to the Jewish museum in Budapest.

Spain - An anti-Semitic type article was published by the column writer Raul Del Pozo in the El Mundo daily which is published in Madrid. The article refers to the crisis in Iraq. Among other things, it said world, peace and war revolve around the two Jewesss Madeleine Albright and Monica Lewinsky.

Greece - During a live broadcast over Greek television, the Greek singer Kazansidis, who is considered one of the fathers of Greek song, made a strong blunt anti-Semitic attack. For an hour he ranted against his enemies the Jews, claiming that he was the victim of a Jewish plot headed by Mynos Mamas, a Greek Jew who is considered one of the great tycoons of the music industry. Kazansidis warned the Greeks against the malicious intentions of the Jews to which he attributed all the negative qualities possible.

Latvia - Anti-Semitic leaflets were received at the editorial office of the Chass newspaper which is published in Riga. Under the slogan Latvia for Latvians the members of the group (who were also responsible for abusive slogans on the wall of the synagogue in December 1997) called for purging Latvia of the symbols which harm its holiness - the hammer and the sickle and the Star of David, and to purge the Latvian race of Jews and communists.

Ukraine - In an article in the Stolitza (the capital) newspaper which is published in Kiev, anti-Semitic opinions were expressed, similar to those found in the 'Protocols of the Elders of Zion' and other old anti-Semitic motifs. The article is long and full of quotations from the Talmud, based on the anti-Semitic book Mafia which was published in 1971 in Toronto by the Ukrainian Shtepi who lives in Canada.

Costa Rica - A number of people from the San Jose congregation have recently been approached by the managers of the Preco supermarket which is owned by the Argentinean Daniel Luna, a declared anti-Semite. The managers said they were not interested in having Jews shop at that supermarket.

Australia - A vulgar anti-Semitic slogan was written on the outside wall othe Jewish museum in Darlinghurst, Sydney.

The director of the Sydney congregation received mail at his home which was written to him personally, with aggressive comments against him and Holocaust denial material.

The office of the Jewish newspaper in Sydney received Holocaust denial pamphlets.

The President of the Australian Jewry Executive Council received anti-Semitic mail at his home as well as electronic mail dealing with Holocaust denial.

Anti-Semitic literature blaming the Jews for conspiring and controlling the Australian government was disseminated this month in Canberra against the background of elections being held in the capital.

An article appeared in The Australian newspaper in Western Australia which denounces the Jewish lobby and justifies Farrakhans policy.

John Bennett, the Australian Holocaust denier, wrote an article in The Herald Sun newspaper defending the Holocaust denier David Irving who lives in Britain.

The local Arab press in Australia writes about the control by Jews and Zionism of the U.S. and Australia.

An article in the Diplomatic Panorama claims that Britain, the U.S., Australia, Canada and New Zealand have Jewish governments.

Struggle Against Anti-Semitism and Racism

Greece - Following the anti-Semitic statements (mentioned above) of the singer Kazansidis, the Committee of Jewish Congregations in Greece (KIS) sent a protest letter to the television channel which broadcasted the program in which the singer participated. Some of the daily newspapers published the protest. The most popular newspaper, Ta Nea, and the right-wing newspaper Adesmeftos Typos noted that Kazansidis voiced dangerous stereotypes and that it would have been better if he had continued to sing instead of opening his mouth and talking.

Germany - The German police set up a special unit, the Gamma Unit which operates in the Brandenburg province in the eastern part of the country to fight Neo-Nazism. In a raid the unit made in Basdorf, a small village some 30-km. north of Berlin, weapons and Nazi symbols were seized. The unit was set up in reaction to a wave of attacks against foreign citizens and riots of Neo-Nazi youths.

France - The Paris court convicted the Holocaust denier Roger Garaudy on two counts: denying crime against humanity and racist libel. He was sentenced to pay heavy fines as well as a symbolic sum of compensation of 1 franc to each of those who had complained. The organization of French Jews CRIF (Conseil Representatife Des Institutions Juives De France) published a communiqué expressing satisfaction with the verdict, while expressing surprise at the acquittal of the publisher. CRIF also expressed disappointment at the stand of the Egyptian, Jordanian and Palestinian lawyers and intellectuals who supported Garaudy.

Sweden - During the Nordland rock festival of Neo-Nazi groups, which took place in Stockholm a number of rowdies, were arrested. Twenty of those arrested were convicted this month of racial incitement and rioting.

Miscellaneous

Sweden - Against the background of the events in parliament and the festive concert, which opened the Swedish governments campaign for education on the Holocaust, the public debate on how to fight Neo-Nazism and impart the lessons of the Holocaust continues. A new book was published this month written cooperatively by Stefan Bruchfeld from the Committee for the Struggle against Anti-Semitism and the American Jewish historian Paul Levine from Uppsala University dealing with the subject. It is hoped that the book will be used as a basis for thought and debate.