“There has without a doubt been an increase, with an outburst in January corresponding to Operation Cast Lead in Gaza and all the anti-Israeli and pro-Hamas demonstrations which gave rise to many excesses at the time.
While the number of anti-Semitic acts is on the rise, we are still far from the spectacular figures recorded in some previous years.
Threats (anti-Semitic graffiti, tracts and insults) make up the brunt of this increase. In this category, 518 acts were recorded in the first six months of the year (compared with 152 for the same period the previous year). As for vandalism and physical violence, these have certainly increased but in a more measured way, going from 77 in the first half of 2008 to 113 in the first half of 2009.
These figures are obviously not satisfactory. They need be understood as a signal indicating that the fight against anti-Semitism must continue and intensify. We also need to continue to extend the work already undertaken, particularly as regards prevention, education and sanctions.
There is a lower limit for anti-Semitic acts which we seem unable to cross. Moreover, it is to be feared that every time something happens in the Near East, anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic expression will be galvanised by certain activists, and yield freely to excesses such as those we witnessed in January 2009.
The radicalisation of anti-Israeli expression worries me, as much in its actions as its methods. The situation in the Near East doesn’t look as if it is likely to improve soon. So our community is likely to suffer from the repercussions of the conflict for a long time yet.”
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