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fighting anti-semitism: convergence in europe

Paris, April 27, 2004

Not to call things by their name, Albert Camus wrote, is to add to the misery of the world. Anti-Semitism, in France, Europe and the rest the world, must be called and recognized for what it is: an offense to the whole of mankind. Regrettably, we are witnessing insidious attempts to relatavise anti-Semitism by finding reasons to explain -and gradually justify it- in the social and cultural context, and in the international diplomatic environment.

I am thinking for example of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict becoming the instrument in the genesis of what is now called the « new anti-Semitism. » France will not tolerate the Star of David being juxtaposed with the Nazi swastika in demonstrations in a shameful distortion of the lessons of history.

Obviously, we do not prevent debate on the various aspects of Israeli policy--that is entirely normal in a democracy. Such debate is legitimate just as debate on French or American policy is, for example. It is inherent in any democracy and should not be equated with anti-Zionism. No, our aim is to guard against distortions which, under cover of anti-Zionist positions, hide a new anti-Semitism every bit as dangerous as the old. Do the supporters of the anti-Zionist combat have to be reminded that anti-Semitism did not wait for the founding of the State of Israel in 1948 to reveal itself? That it went as far as the abomination of the « Final Solution » of the Shoah which remains, as André Neher put it so well, « the unthinkable and the irreparable. »

Our task now is to understand, the better to fight, this most recent manifestation of anti-Semitism in the 21st century which goes far beyond the anti-Semitism of the extreme right as the Durban conference in 2001 revealed and the statistics of anti-Jewish acts prove in most Western countries. We cannot ignore the fact that the new anti-Semitism is often the response of alienated young people, who are poorly integrated economically and culturally, exposed to racist reactions themselves, who project themselves into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by adopting a substitute identity. One racism does not excuse the other. I am aware that we must also fight the racism which befalls some of our citizens of Maghreb or African origin whom French society has unfortunately not yet succeeded in fully integrating.

The public authorities, in cracking down on racist and anti-Semitic acts when it must be done, but above all in educating, integrating, explaining and cultivating the duty of memory, have a vital task to fulfill. The stakes are nothing less than the cohesion of our society and the support of all for the values of our Republic.

To those tempted to see some alleged inertia in the public authorities in addressing these acts, or even a degree of « tolerance » in France towards anti-Semitism, let me remind them that France, a land that has welcomed the Jewish people for 2,000 years, was one of the very first countries to grant them equal rights and full citizenship in 1791.

President Chirac has spoken in the strongest possible terms on this subject, and the government, through the interministerial committee on the fight against racism and anti-Semitism which is chaired by the prime minister, has implemented a whole raft of measures to crack down on anti-Semitism and prevent anti-Semitic and racist demonstrations in public places, in the media and schools in liaison with CRIF and a whole series of human rights organizations. The Lellouche Act, unanimously adopted by Parliament on February 5, 2002, mandates severe penalties for racist, anti-Semitic and xenophobic offences. This firm action is producing results, and we are now working to develop this policy with our main partners in the OSCE.

At the request of President Chirac and Foreign Minister Michel Barnier, I will be leading the French delegation to the Berlin conference on anti-Semitism on April 28 and 29. I will make a point of reaffirming the French government’s commitment to fighting anti-Semitism, and the need for a coordinated response by all political, social and religious actors in confronting anti-Semitism.

I will also recall the need for concerted action by states in fighting this evil. The spread of anti-Semitism knows no borders. Given the internationalization of racism and xenophobia, a firm, common response is absolutely essential--in Europe, obviously, but also beyond. Let us start working immediately within the structures that already exist. I am thinking in particular of the European Observatory for Racist and Xenophobic Phenomena in Vienna, which has already done useful work. Europe has in that institution a sort of « human rights agency. » Let’s give it the means and necessary impetus to fulfill that mission.

At France’s initiative, an OSCE conference is to be held in Paris on June 16 and 17, 2004 on the manifestations of racism, anti-Semitism and xenophobia on the Internet. No one wants censorship, and its effectiveness would in any case be illusory; the goal is to permit human rights organizations, Internet providers and states to work together on drafting a guide of good practices.

Action by the public authorities alone is obviously not enough to conduct an effective policy against anti-Semitism. Such a policy will be fully effective only if society as a whole realizes what is at stake. From that point of view, action by all the members of the educational community is essential so we should be pleased that a day has been set aside in all schools in France for remembrance of the Shoah, Holocaust Memorial Day, on January 27--the day Auschwitz was liberated--and also that a booklet on republican principles, Guide républicain, has been developed for use by students.

In addition, the prime minister has set up a mechanism for monitoring the media for racist and anti-Semitic speech in liaison with the CSA media watchdog [equivalent to the FCC]. The CSA has already acted with respect to a televised series which was clearly anti-Semitic and was being broadcast via satellite. Could we not envision a Europe-wide initiative to pool our efforts in these areas?

Lastly, as we celebrate this year the 800th anniversary of the death of the eminent medieval Jewish scholar Maimonides, who symbolized the productive exchanges that took place in the Mediterranean world--he was born in Cordoba, lived in Fez then Egypt and died in Palestine--I think we will need to display imagination in the dialogue of cultures and religions: among researchers and academics but also elected office holders and leaders of civil society. I have in mind the remarkable work done in my city through the Marseilles-Espérance association and other initiatives which are being developed in France and Europe. The movement is proving its value as it progresses. It is possible to break the terrible spiral of community sectarianism by helping to build a society in which the demons of every form of racism will be exorcised./.