Anti-Semitism

The Inconvenient Truth that Europe is Trying to Hide

After commissioning a documentary on European anti-Semitism, Arte, the Franco/German TV network that solicited the film has scandalously refused to air it. The acclaimed documentary has been censored because it dares to tell the truth - namely that there are shockingly high levels of anti-Semitism in Europe and that much of it is driven by rabid anti-Zionist and anti-Israel sentiment from the political Left and immigrant Muslim communities. These politically inconvenient truths must be confronted, not censored. The phony explanations from Arte's Program Director, Alain Le Diberder, for why they have refused to broadcast the film simply do not pass the "red face" test.

The sad reality is that most contemporary anti-Semitism seeks to masquerade as legitimate criticism of Israel. However, as the US State Department has identified, when that criticism is characterized by demonization and de-legitimization and the application of outrageous double standards, then the mask is ripped off and it is clear that it is the same old ugly, evil hatred of the Jewish people dressed up in a new costume.

This ugly racism and hatred is stalking much of Europe and it must be exposed, called out, and confronted. The Lantos Foundation commends the German newspaper Bild for broadcasting the film, "Chosen and Excluded- Jew Hatred in Europe", on its website for 24 hours but this is not enough.

The film must be screened and made available to the public and more importantly, the disturbing truths it reveals must be addressed by governments and civil society across the European continent.
 

https://www.algemeiner.com/2017/06/13/german-tabloid-bild-broadcasts-controversial-antisemitism-documentary-rejected-by-european-tv-station/

 

https://www.algemeiner.com/2017/06/15/jewish-human-rights-group-calls-on-european-parliament-to-screen-antisemitism-documentary-rejected-by-french-german-broadcaster/

 

Lantos Foundation Statement on Kehilat Bnei Torah Synagogue Attack

CONCORD, NH – Like the rest of the world, the Lantos Foundation is deeply troubled by the recent attack on Jewish worshipers at the Kehilat Bnei Torah synagogue in Jerusalem. While this vicious act of terror demands a strong, unequivocal, and directed response, we call on the world’s citizens and leaders to resist the effort to stoke greater hatred and violence as a result of this tragic event. We commend the examples set by those who have already resisted this urge, and we hope that others will not use this tragic event for their own selfish gains. Our prayers go out to the families of those murdered this week and to all victims of religious intolerance around the world.

Statement from the Lantos Foundation on Yom Hashoah

On this day when the world remembers the unimaginable tragedy of the Holocaust, we at the Lantos Foundation feel a renewed sense of dedication to the work of our founder, Congressman Tom Lantos. As the only survivor of the Holocaust ever to serve in Congress, Tom brought unparalleled personal passion and insight into the task of remembering the six million victims of the Nazi death machine. Equally, he was a tireless voice of warning about the dangers of bigotry and hatred once again threatening the Jewish people.

At a time when the world is witnessing a level of open and virulent anti-Semitism unseen on the continent of Europe in over seventy years, Tom’s spirit of vigilance and warning is more relevant than ever. As he so memorably said, “The veneer of civilization is paper thin. We are its guardians, and we can never rest.” On this solemn day of remembrance, we call upon all people of goodwill to resist and respond to all manifestations of this ancient and despicable prejudice and to “never rest” in the pursuit of human rights and dignity for all humanity.    

Statement Regarding Hungary's Response to Sándor Szakály's Remarks and the Proposed Monument to German Occupation

Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett
President, Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice

Recent days have seen considerable controversy in Hungary over the remarks of Sándor Szakály, Director of the Veritas Institute.  His statements regarding the tragic and unforgivable 1941 deportation of thousands of Jews from Hungary to Ukraine where they were massacred in the notorious Kamenets-Podolskii atrocity have sparked outrage and deep concern across Hungary and beyond.

The Lantos Foundation is aware that Mr. Szakály has acknowledged that his statements were wrong and ill informed.   This is an important step and we welcome it.  Nonetheless, questions remain as to whether Mr. Szakály is the appropriate person to serve as the Director of an institute of historical research.

We are also aware of the statement issued by the Minister of State for the Prime Minister’s office, Mr. János Lázár. This very brief statement merely asserts that the views Sándor Szakály expressed do not reflect the opinion of the Prime Minister’s office.  One would hope that this was self-evident, and while appreciated, this modest comment is by no means an adequate repudiation of the offensive and inaccurate comments of Mr. Szakály.

The deeper question remains regarding Hungary’s willingness to come to terms with its complicity in the deportation and murder of over half a million Hungarian citizens during the Holocaust. This painful issue is one that must be honestly faced, not only for the sake of Hungary’s past, but more importantly for the sake of Hungary’s future.

The Lantos Foundation sincerely appreciates the powerful and courageous speeches of Deputy Prime Minister Tibor Navracsics and Foreign Minister János Martonyi at the October 2013 conference on resurgent anti-Semitism that was sponsored by the Tom Lantos Institute in Budapest, We also appreciate the eloquent and strong remarks of Ambassador Csaba Kőrösi, at the recent opening of the United Nations exhibit commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Hungarian Holocaust. Such speeches reflect the integrity and decency of the Hungarian people. Furthermore, going back a decade, the Hungarian government established the Holocaust Memorial Center on Páva Street, which is one of the most impressive such museums anywhere in the world. In addition, many important initiatives are planned to memorialize this tragic 70th anniversary and to teach the lessons of this terrible time in Hungarian history to a new generation.

The Lantos Foundation and the Tom Lantos Institute Take the Lead in Fighting Anti-Semitism

More than 50 Countries Represented at Conference by Ambassadors and Political Leaders

Budapest, Hungary—More than 550 people from around the world, including Ambassadors representing more than 50 countries gathered today at the opening of "Jewish Life and Anti-Semitism in Contemporary Europe," a conference to address the alarming resurgence of anti-Semitism.

Representatives from Greece, Austria, Georgia, and Germany were among the participants. Israeli Minister of Finance Yair Lapid, and Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Tibor Navracsics opened the two day conference in Budapest, Hungary.

“We are encouraged that many world leaders and policy makers have joined us today to discuss the important issue of anti-Semitism. We hope it will be the beginning of a greater dialogue aimed at solving this problem. Anti-Semitism is everyone’s issue, and we must come together to find a solution.” said Dr. Anna-Mária Bíró, Director of the Tom Lantos Institute.

“The conference today was not intended to be a stand-alone event. Our aim is to be the preeminent organization fighting anti-Semitism in Europe, and this conference is just part of a broader strategy for addressing the issues of anti-Semitism,” continued Dr. Bíró.

Katrina Lantos Swett, daughter of Congressman Tom Lantos, President of the Lantos Foundation, and Co-chair of the Executive Committee of the Tom Lantos Institute announced a Solidarity Sabbath scheduled for the Spring of 2014, which will bring world leaders together to stand in solidarity against anti-Semitism in their countries. “My father, Tom Lantos, a proud Hungarian- American once said “The veneer of civilization is paper thin. We are its guardians, and we can never rest” This important conference exemplifies the vigilance my father was speaking about and I know he would be proud to see the Institute that bears his name, taking the lead on these vital issues.

The Tom Lantos Institute

The Tom Lantos Institute is an independent human and minority rights organization with a particular focus on Jewish and Roma communities and other transnational minorities. This conference is part of the Institute’s work focusing on Jewish communities. The Institute was named after Tom Lantos, the Hungarian-born American political leader, and the only Holocaust survivor ever elected to the United States Congress.  Throughout his political career Congressman Lantos was a global leader in the struggle to advance human rights.  He was the Co-Founder of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, and the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Jewish Life and Anti-Semitism in Contemporary Europe

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Israeli Minister of Finance Yair Lapid inaugurate an international conference organized by the Tom Lantos Institute in Budapest

The high-profile event is sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary, the American Lantos Foundation and the Appeal of Conscience Foundation. The conference will examine resurgent anti-Semitism in Europe; its causes and means of combating it.  It will also focus on the more encouraging story of the revival of Jewish life in Europe.

A number of prominent figures of the international political scene, distinguished experts on the topic, academics and representatives of the non-profit sector will participate in the conference. Hungary and the State of Israel will be represented at the opening ceremony, which will include speeches by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán; Israeli Minister of Finance Yair Lapid; Foreign Minister János Martonyi; Annette Lantos, widow of the late Hungarian- American Congressman, Tom Lantos; and Anna-Mária Bíró, Director of the Tom Lantos Institute.

The event will also be attended by Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Zsolt Németh, Israeli Ambassador to Hungary Ilan Mor, and Cardinal Péter Erdő, who is also a trustee of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation. Chairman of International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Mario Silva will also be present, together with Sir Andrew Burns, United Kingdom Envoy for Post-Holocaust issues.

After the opening ceremony, the conference will continue with panels addressing the gathering’s two main topics. International experts will hold thematic presentations on the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe, as well as on other key issues affecting Jewish communities. The panels will examine ways of combating anti-Semitism and discuss topics such as Jewish identity, advocacy, education and culture.

“Clearly this event is one that has significant relevance from a political perspective. However, as an international research, education and human rights organization, the primary objective of the Tom Lantos Institute is to approach these challenging topics in a manner that brings all the tools of social science and honest academic inquiry to these difficult discussions.   We wish to provide a platform where top experts in the field, academics, NGOs and decision-makers can meaningfully discuss the key issues affecting Jewish communities in Europe. We believe this approach can help illuminate and inform the choices that political leaders must make. To that end, following the conference, concrete recommendations will be presented to decision-makers with the involvement of participating international experts,” Dr. Anna-Mária Bíró, Director of the Tom Lantos Institute emphasized. “While the protection of fundamental human rights, is partly, though not exclusively, the task of political leaders, these essential rights must never be politicized. These basic rights speak to our deepest values and principles, and the Tom Lantos Institute believes that the shared defense of human rights should be a unifying force in society” the director added.

The Tom Lantos Institute

The Tom Lantos Institute is an independent human and minority rights organization with a particular focus on Jewish and Roma communities and other transnational minorities. The conference is part of the Institute’s work focusing on Jewish communities. The Institute was named after Tom Lantos, the Hungarian-born American political leader, the only Holocaust survivor ever elected to the United States Congress.  Throughout his political career Congressman Lantos was a global leader in the struggle to advance human rights.  He was the Co-Founder of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus and the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Press Release: The Lantos foundation forcefully condemns attack on Jewish group in Germany

Following an attack on a Jewish dance group at a cultural festival in Hannover, Germany, during which a group of Arab youths hurled rocks at the performers and injured one group member, the Lantos Foundation issued this statement:

It is deeply disturbing that in the heart of Europe, more than sixty years after the Holocaust, Jewish citizens are being targeted for violent attack. This incident is part of a rising tide of renewed anti-Semitism in Europe, the continent that witnessed the premeditated massacre of over six million men, women, and children of Jewish heritage. While the vast majority of Germans no doubt reject this appalling behavior, it is nonetheless shocking that such an incident occurred in the country most associated with the horrors of the Holocaust.

We call upon not only the German government but, more importantly, the German people and all Europeans to forcefully and unequivocally condemn this outrage. It is more than a little ironic that this unprovoked attack on Jewish people took place just a few weeks after a senior member of the Washington Press Corps asserted that the Jews should “get the hell out of Palestine” and go back to Europe.

The ancient poison of anti-Semitism is tragically alive and well in the world. Those who engage in an orchestrated campaign to delegitimize the existence of the only Jewish state will feed and spread this poison.