BRUSSELS—“The date of the informal meeting of heads of state or government in Salzburg is set to be 20 September, which is the day after Yom Kippur,’’ the Austrian presidency of the European Union said after Austria was criticised by Jewish leaders for organising the meeting of the 28 member states on the Jewish Day of Atonment.
Yom Kippur begins September 18 in the evening and ends at sundown the following day. It is one of the most important Jewish holidays and is one of two High Holidays–the day when God is said to decide the fate of each person.
“It is very difficult to find a date that works for the 28 member states, 20 September was possible and is the day after Yom Kippur,” the presidency added. The EU summit is expected to focus on migration and Brexit.
Jewish leaders said the scheduling conflict reflects an unfortunate but unsurprising lack of attention to their religious calendar.
Although the Austrian presidency said the summit was scheduled for September 20, the leaders’ traditionnal dinner would take place on September 19 – on Yom Kippur- and EU leaders, staff and journalists were largely expected to arrive before then.
In Politico Europe, a publication covering EU affairs, Brussels correspondent David Herszenhorn writes that Austria’s scheduling of the EU leaders’ summit ‘’is raising questions of cultural sensitivity at a time of rising pro-Christian rhetoric among European politicians and signs of resurgent anti-Semitism.’’
The right-wing Freedom Party (FPO) is a member of the country’s governing coalition led by Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and its leader, Heinz-Christian Strache, is Vice Chancellor.
Strache has rejected allegations of anti-Semitism but Austrian Jewish leaders, who have refused any contact with FPO and say anti-Jewish sentiment is at the core of the party ideology.
During a visit in Israel in June, Chancellor Kurz vowed to fight antisemitism. “I can assure you that Austria will fight all forms of anti-Semitism in Europe with determination, be it the still existing one or also new imported anti-Semitism.” “We will try to raise awareness in Europe for the special situation and the special security needs of Israel,” he said.