BRUSSELS—‘’Europeans say that they are committed to the security of the State of Israel. In the practice I am not sure that this is the case,’’ Israel’s ambassador the EU and NATO, Aharon Leshno-Yaar, told a conference in the European Parliament on the fight against antisemitism.
‘’When Israel needs Europe, I am not sure that Europe is there,’’ he added.
‘’When Iranian politicians are calling for the destruction of the State of Israel, when Hezbollah is building terror tunnels, Europe is silent. ‘’Europe cannot be silent and it is silent,’’ he deplored.
Stressing that despite speeches on antisemitism and efforts to combat it, ”the numbers speak for themselves, it is not working.’’
Israel, said the ambassador, is a safe heaven for Jews. It will always be a home for all Jews wherever they are.’’
‘’Whether you agree or not on some issues, you have to support Israel as the shelter for the Jews wherever they are,’’ he said.
The conference on the fight against antisemitism, which was organized by the Romanian presidency of the European Union, was aimed at finding a common approach to better protect Jewish communities in Europe and move from policy to action in a time of rising antisemitism on the continent.
Speakers included leaders of the World Jewish Congress, the American Jewish Committee, the European Jewish Congress and B’nai B’rith International, as well as Jewish communal leaders, members of the European parliament and officials in charge of the fight against antisemitism.
Newly appointed EU special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, Elan Carr, took part to the event.