Anti-warism and anti-Semitism
: The Anti-Defamation League released its annual survey of anti-Jewish incidents in the U.S. Note the increase on campuses; note also my earlier post on the ties between anti-warism, anti-Americanism, and anti-Semitism. The ADL stats:
A total of 1,559 anti-Jewish incidents were reported against Jews and Jewish institutions in 2002, a slight increase from the 1,432 incidents in 2001. [Ed: I wouldn’t call that “slight.”]
At the same time, anti-Jewish incidents reported on campus were up by 24 percent in 2002….
Anti-Semitic incidents on campus increased for the third straight year to a total of 106 incidents, an increase by 24 percent over 2001, when 85 acts were reported. Many of the 2002 incidents grew out of anti-Israel or “anti-Zionist” demonstrations or other actions in which some participants engaged in overt expression of anti-Jewish sentiments, including name-calling directed at Jewish students, placards comparing the Star of David to the swastika, or vandalism of Jewish property, such as Hillel buildings.
: Meanwhile, in France… Haaretz reports that Jewish communities fear the war will inflame anti-Semitism around the world, especially in France:
Some 5,000 policemen and security personnel accompanied the tens of thousands of people participating in an anti-war protest in Paris on Saturday. But unlike the security at other anti-war rallies around the world, which aimed to prevent attacks against United States targets, the French policemen were there to prevent anti-Semitic acts similiar to those that had taken place at previous anti-war rallies in France….
It seems that the anti-war movement in France has become anti-Israel in nature, and the anti-war protests serve as an opportunity for Muslims in France to attack Israel and Jews.
