The European Jewish Association (EJA), which represents hundreds of Jewish communities across the continent, invited political figures and Jewish leaders from Europe to Zagreb and the Jasenovac death camp in Croatia, against the backdrop of the Hamas massacre in Israel, an act that has profoundly affected Jews across Europe.
The Conference began with a minute silence to all those butchered by Hamas last weekend.
Gary Koren, Israel’s Ambassador Ambassador to Croatia in welcoming the Conference delegates from Portugal to Bulgaria, said: “This conference in Zagreb is now needed more than ever. Hamas is ISIS, and this war started with the blessing of Iran. Israel has no choice but to win and obliterate Hamas. This is the darkest of times and there is no way to describe the pain our nation is going through, but we will prevail, like we always do.”
Croatia’s former President Kolinda Grabar – Kitarovic said that the attacks against Isreal represent “an existential attack against the normalization of the Abraham Accords. ”It will have tremendous geopolitical effects, and sadly antisemitism will only spike.”
Picture from EJA.
Deputy Remy Rebeyrotte, the Secretary of the National Assemby in France, responding to European Jewish Press which reported that since the weekend there have been 50 acts of antisemitism in France, responded: “There have been over 202 antisemitic attacks in France in the last couple of months.The Ministry of Interior is stepping up security measures in synagogues and all Jewish Schools.We see yet again conspiracy theories running deeply rooted in antisemitism. This time from the far left saying Jews control the world, the banking industry and so on.”
“I want today to express support of France for Israel. The children of Israel are our children. All parties are condemning except for the extreme left with Melenchon (leader of the far left).”
Dragan Primorac the president of the Croatian-Israel business club simply stated that, “Evil is the antithesis of honor. Croatia is staying shoulder to shoulder with Israel. Evil will not prevail.”
Head of Combatting Antisemitism at the World Zionist Organisation Raheli Baratz Rix, who partnered with the EJA for the Zagreb conference, in an online address from Israel said: “Israel is under attack. They killed in a massacre young Jews because they are Jews. This barbaric act is only murderous racism which has only one name antisemitism. You cannot stay silent again. We fight for humanity. Israel will stay strong and will win.”
Natan Albahari, a Serbian Member of Parliament added “it pained me to see what happened at the music festival in Israel. It’s unimaginable. There is no justification for those crimes. I am only one MP, but will use every platform at my disposal to make sure that message is shared in Serbia.”
Konstantinos Karagounis, a Greek MP, was scathing in his criticism of the Hamas massacre in Israel: “All political parties of Greece stand firmly in solidarity with Israel. EU leaders must reassess their policy towards Hamas, Hezbollah, and towards all these terrorists. I think we are all under attack. Not just Israel. Failure to act will endorse such brutality.”
”Terrorist activities must face unwavering consequences.”
William Daroff, the CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish organisations, in an impassioned speech to delegates said: “We need to make the world aware of what happened. They want to do Israel Judenrein. The only answer is Unity. We are strong when we are one. The IDF will succeed. We will survive as a people. Israel is our lifeline.”
Adel Benita, a citizen of Modi’in, Israel, whose husband was stabbed to death 40 times in a previous terror attack, spoke to delegates from the podium and said: “Terrorism doesn’t differentiate between race or nationality.What we saw this past Shabbat and holiday – forty babies butchered, young people shot at a festival – how can we understand? How can those families cope in response to their loved ones being butchered and raped?”
She warned that ”this could happen to you in Europe. Terrorists don’t differentiate between race, gender, and nationality.”
“I’m begging you to open your eyes and to ensure your leaders fight against antisemitism so this doesn’t happen again,” she said.