While the situation in Ukraine is currently attracting the world’s attention and indeed arousing public concern, although not because of an imaginary surge of anti-Semitism, but due to the wide-scale violation of human rights by the authorities and the law enforcement, we believe it necessary to clarify the situation.
Mikhail Frenkel, a veteran Jewish journalist from Kyiv, explained how Jews relate to the mass rallies in Ukraine and stressed three important points while speaking at the Israeli radio channel REKA.
Eleonora Groisman, chairperson of the all-Ukrainian NGO “Ukrainian Independent Council of Jewish Women,” sent an open letter to President Yanukovich and MIA Head Zakharchenko due to the rampant anti-Semitism of the “Berkut” special forces unit Facebook page.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) called on The Economist magazine to issue a full-throated apology for publishing an anti-Semitic editorial cartoon depicting US President Obama as hindered in his efforts to reach an agreement with Iran by ‘’the machinations of a United States Congress under the control of a nefarious Jewish lobby.’’
Vaad of Ukraine expresses its deep concern about the anti-Semitic attacks that took place in Kyiv in January: the attacks on a Yeshiva (a Jewish religious school) teacher and student who were leaving the Podil Rozenberg synagogue after prayer.
Jewish groups slammed a recent decision by a Polish prosecutor not to bring criminal charges against football fans who yelled anti-Semitic insults at a match.
An administrative tribunal in the city of Nantes on Thursday overturned a ban imposed by French authorities for the show of the controversial comedian Dieudonné, who has made headlines with anti-Semitic slogans.
French President François Hollande on Tuesday brought his support for attempts to ban shows by controversial comedian Dieudonne M’bala M’bala who the government accuses of threatening public order with his repeated anti-Semitic comments.
