By Laurent Fabius and Bernard Cazeneuve, published in the New York Times July 10, 2014
Few democratic societies are as rich in populations of diverse origins as France’s. This is one of the many traits France shares with the United States. Both are countries of immigrants where citizenship is universal and does not depend on one’s ethnic or religious origins.
France, like other countries of the European Union, suffers from so-called “violent radical engagement,” whereby its citizens have been known to join militant activists abroad. One prime example of this phenomenon is French youth departing to Syria to join that country’s militant groups. This engagement of civilians in insurgent areas "in the name of the ummah" (community) is not a new occurrence, as French citizens have already taken part in the conflicts in Bosnia, Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Iraq, similarly in the name of jihad.
As long as European authorities fail to take drastic measures against anti-Israel instigators, murderous attacks on Jews will only increase.
It was only a matter of time. The writing – or, to be more precise, the writings – has been on the wall for years. And not just in Europe. I would even dare say that, surprisingly, there have only been a few murderous attacks against Jews or Jewish institutions.
Nowhere is the crisis of modernity felt more acutely than in France where for a quarter-century now globalization has brought moroseness and mistrust on an epic scale. Uneasy with capitalism, uncomfortable with flexibility, unpersuaded by the so-called Anglo-Saxon model, France has retreated into its rancor. Immigrants and openness have constituted threat more than possibility.
The shared fear of Muslims has not yet led major Jewish organizations to lift their boycotts against dubious politicians in far-right parties.
The investigation of Sunday’s shooting at the Jewish Museum in Brussel is still ongoing, and assessments regarding the motive are varied, but Belgian authorities say the attack, which is being investigated as a terror incident, has anti-Semitic characteristics.
"Dieudonne spreaded - via his videos posted on YouTube - his antisemitic poison. He badly cursed or slandered and broadcasted obscene caricatures by putting together his miserable repertoire."
On Tuesday, June 2, the WJC continued on this path and reconvened its forum for Special Envoys & Coordinators Combating Antisemitism (SECCA), bringing together dozens of officials from national governments and international organizations with WJC-affiliated Jewish community leaders. Crif participated in the SECCA meeting.
A few weeks ago, Crif President Francis Kalifat stressed Zoom France on the growing phenomenon of Zoombombing. To strengthen the application security, Zoom let Crif know that a new tool was now available to report harmful unwanted users on the video-conferences.
Wednesday, May 13, the French National Assembly adopted the bill against online hate, brought by the deputy Laetitia Avia. One more step that goes in the right direction of the fight against hate on the Internet. Crif President Francis Kalifat explains why this Law is necessary.
On May 12, 2020, Crif filed a lawsuit against French polemist Dieudonné following two new videos posted on its YouTube channel. One of these videos notably features Simone Veil and the French Holocaust denier Robert Faurisson.
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