The International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists
IJL
The International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists (IJL) strives to advance human rights for all, and international cooperation based on the rule of law.
ID: 526505337843-20
Lobbying Activity
Response to 1st progress report of the EU antisemitism strategy
18 Apr 2024
The EU Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life is a pivotal constructive initiative that reaffirms the EU's commitment to fighting hatred in all its forms, including antisemitism. The role of the EU and its member states in fighting antisemitism is crucial in view of the surge in antisemitic sentiment and incidents that immediately followed the atrocities perpetrated by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Many places around the world, including EU member states, were flooded by a wave of ferocious antisemitism, including blatant incitement for violence such as calls for the Slaughter of Jews, From the River to the Sea, Globalize Intifada, and Clean the World. Calls negating the legitimacy of Israels existence serve as a basis for the proliferation of the current outpouring of antisemitism and clearly constitute one of its manifestations. A clear stand on counteracting antisemitism by the EU as an institution and community of values is critical for the safety and well-being of Jews in Europe. IJL commends the progress already made through the Strategy and its implementation, and aims to highlight in these comments key elements that require further attention: 1) Urgent action is required to address the situation of Jewish students on university campuses in Europe. Many campuses are no longer safe for Jewish youth. The pledge to support fostering Jewish life in Europe as the core of the Strategy requires focused attention to the younger generation of European Jews. 2) The antisemitic wave since the October 7 atrocities has its own characteristics and has reached a scale unprecedented in any other period of the EU. It would be useful to compile a detailed report on the scale and forms of the post-October 7 antisemitism phenomenon in the EU, to guide the necessary response of the EU and individual EU member states. 3) A challenge to the fostering of Jewish life cluster of the Strategy continues to be the rulings of two major European courts, the Court of Justice of the EU and the European Court of Human Rights, in cases involving Belgian bans on ritual slaughter. Many Jewish individuals and organizations in Europe feel that these bans strike at the very foundations of their religious freedom and are a concrete impediment to continued Jewish presence in Europe. 4) Enhancing the legal framework is paramount. Developing guidelines for countering antisemitic hate crimes within the framework of new EU legal instruments (for example, most recently the Digital Service Act) is essential. Likewise important is the issue addressed in the recent EU Parliament Report calling for the adoption of a decision to include hate speech and hate crimes among criminal offenses within the meaning of Article 83(1) TFEU (so-called EU crimes). Legal gaps and challenges for the effective counteraction against antisemitism have been broadly discussed in a recent Report commissioned for the EU Commission on legal aspects of fighting antisemitism. Its conclusions and recommendations could serve as a useful tool for the Strategy.
Read full response