05 January 2005
U.S. State Department Releases Report on Global Anti-Semitism
Reports finds increase in both anti-Semitism and efforts to counter it
Washington -- A report released by the U.S. Department of State January 5 examines acts of anti-Semitism -- defined as “hatred toward Jews, individually and as a group, attributed to the Jewish religion and/or ethnicity” -- committed from July 1, 2003, to December 15, 2004, in 62 countries worldwide.
The “Report on Global Anti-Semitism” also details the efforts of governments and other groups to counter anti-Semitism.
The one-time report was mandated by the Global Anti-Semitism Review Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-332), in response to the increase of anti-Semitic incidents since the start of the 21st century. When signing the law in October 2004, President Bush noted that “defending freedom also means disrupting the evil of anti-Semitism."
The report finds that the recent increase in global anti-Semitism has four main sources -- traditional, longstanding prejudice against Jews; anti-Israel sentiment that crosses the line between objective criticism of Israeli policies and anti-Semitism; anti-Jewish sentiment expressed by some in Europe's growing Muslim population; and criticism of the United States and globalization that spills over to Israel and Jews.
Although the report focuses on Europe, it covers all regions of the world and finds that anti-Semitism exists even in countries without Jewish communities. However, the report states that in Europe and other regions, many governments, including France, Belgium and Germany, have become more aware of the threat posed by anti-Semitism and are taking effective action to combat it.
According to the report, combating the global problem of anti-Semitism requires a “coordinated multinational approach.” The report cites the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe as important tools against anti-Semitism. The United States has played a leading role within these multilateral organizations to raise awareness and propose resolutions to fight anti-Semitism.
The report also emphasizes the role of education in combating anti-Semitism. “Holocaust and tolerance education as well as teacher training provide a potential long-term solution to anti-Semitism,” the report states. The United States has funded numerous such programs in cooperation with the Association of American Holocaust Organizations and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
The report recognizes that “the roots of anti-Semitism run deep” and “does not underestimate the difficulty of reversing the recent resurgence of this ancient scourge.” Nevertheless, the United States remains committed to “monitoring and combating anti-Semitism throughout the world as an important human rights and religious freedom issue.” In addition to this report, the State Department monitors global anti-Semitism every six months through its annual International Religious Freedom and country-specific human rights reports.
This report is just one tool to demonstrate U.S. commitment to human rights and international religious freedom, said Ambassador Michael Kozak, assistant secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, the bureau that helped draft the report. Bilateral engagement with the named countries will continue to be a priority of the United States, he added.
The Global Anti-Semitism Review Act also mandated the creation of an office within the State Department dedicated to addressing the issue. Kozak said that the department is already working on setting up this office and that he expects the official opening to come early in President Bush’s second term.
As Bush said when he signed the Global Anti-Semitism Review Act, the United States “will make sure that the ancient impulse of anti-Semitism never finds a home in the modern world.”
The transcript of the remarks by Ambassador Kozak and Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues Edward O’Donnell on the release of the report is available at http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/spbr/40347.htm
The Report on Global Anti-Semitism is available at http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/40258.htm
(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
