Some 300 leaders of the European Union’s Jewish communities gathered in Budapest under strict security measures, in the presence of senior representatives and members of parliament from EU countries, to discuss urgent issues affecting the continent’s Jews.
Among the issues: the situation created by the war in Ukraine and the freedom of religious worship threatened by the ban on kosher slaughter as happened in Belgium, where the decree was abolished only in the Brussels area, the rise of anti-Semitism and more.
The conference participants made practical proposals to EU governments based on a first-of-its-kind survey examining the quality of life of Jews and the performance of 12 European governments in the key parameters required for Jewish life, including anti-Semitism, security and freedom of religion and voting for or against Israel at the UN. The most friendly countries for Jews are Italy, Hungary and Denmark, at the bottom of the list: France, Poland and Belgium.
In the field of practical performance for the communities, Germany, Austria and France top the ranking, which, despite the feeling of insecurity of the Jews in its territory, does everything to strengthen it. At the bottom: Denmark, Spain and Belgium.
According to the president of the Association of Jewish Organizations, Rabbi Menachem Margolin, there is no intention to clash in one country or another, but to create an infrastructure of comparison that will allow countries and communities to take practical steps. Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister Zasolt Smein emphasized his government’s efforts to protect the local Jewish community and to fight anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial, including action against the occasional neo-Nazi elements.
He said Hungary had completely curbed anti-Semitism, preventing radical political Islam from building a wall and banning illegal immigration. Hungary also supports kosher slaughter and supplies kosher meat to other countries.
Smein told Maariv that his country intends to continue to prevent decisions and policies against Israel in the European Union, and even to oppose the financing of terrorist organizations by Europe. At the same time, it will work to implement the economic agreements with Israel, which the Union has frozen in recent years, and will continue to develop its economic relations with Israel – which are already at a high level.
Hungary recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel but will not move its embassy there, subject to EU policy. He condemned Russia’s use of the “denial” excuse to invade a sovereign state such as Ukraine, despite the existence of neo-Nazi circles in the country and the acts committed by Ukrainians during the Holocaust, and despite the repression of minority languages such as Russian and Hungarian.
European Parliament Vice President Nicolas Beer, who heads the anti-Semitism group, told the gathering about the steps being taken on the issue, and Greek Deputy Interior Minister Stavros Calpatis announced the establishment of a Holocaust museum in Thessaloniki, one of the largest in the world.