BRUSSELS—The leader of a European Jewish group is to start in the coming weeks a dialogue with members of the parliament of Iceland and make the case against a controversial draft bill to ban circumcision in the country.
Rabbi Menachem Margolin, chairman of the European Jewish Association (EJA) met Thursday in Brussels with the ambassador of Iceland, Bergdís Ellertsdóttir, who said the circumcision bill was not a government backed initiative. The meeting was described as ‘’fruitful and constructive’’ by the EJA.
The bill was recently introduced by Silja Dögg Gunnarsdóttir, a member of the Icelandic parlaiement for the Progressive party. It proposes a ban on male circumcision on the basis that it violates the rights of children. Violators of the law could receive up to six years in prison.
During the meeting, the Ambassador and her deputy suggested that Rabbi Margolin should continue the dialogue and make the case against the bill at the Parliament in Reijkjavik, capital of Iceland, an offer that will be taken up in the weeks ahead.
Rabbi Margolin said: ‘’The Ambassador had a very common-sense and pragmatic approach to this issue, and her words were very reassuring. It is clear from this meeting that this is a party-led initiative and not one that enjoys the initiative or direct support of the Icelandic parliament as a whole. This on it’s own is a good start.’’
The ambassador assured the rabbi that his remarks would be reported directly back to the government in Iceland
He added: ‘’Our expressed concern to the Ambassador is the origin of such legislation, given that it only affects, at best 3 Icelandic children per year who would be circumcised for the purposes of the Jewish faith. Why is a such a bill is even required in the first place?’’.
For Rabbi Margolin, the Icelandic initiative ‘’reeks of the type of populism that is all too sadly manifesting itself across the European Continent at the present time.’’
“The import of such legislation ever becoming law is that it sets precedence for other European nations, and normalises the branding of the entire Jewish population as “criminals” for performing this important, vital and precious rite of ours. It cannot and will not be allowed to happen,” Margolin said.