BRUSSELS—‘’It is our common responsibility and duty to make sure Jewish communities feel safe in Europe,’’ German Manfred Weber, the potential next head of the European Commission, told European Jewish Press (EJP).
Stressing that anti-Semitism is increasing in Europe and that ‘’it should be an alarm for all political leaders,’’ Weber, who is the candidate of the European People’s Party (a coalition of center-right parties), the largest political group in the European Parliament, for the post of EU Commission President, declared : ‘’We will do whatever is needed to push back these extremely worrying developments.‘’
He added : ‘’ Concretely, this means for example agreeing on a common definition of antisemitism. This will make it easier to fight antisemitism online for example. I believe education and dialogue between communities is the best way to ensure better understanding and foster togetherness in our European societies. ”
Asked by EJP his view on the fact that some call for Jews to leave their respective countries and go elsewhere including in Israel where there is no antisemitism, Weber responded : “If religious communities feel they may have to leave a European country to ensure they and their families are safe, then in my view we lose our European way of life where freedom of religion and tolerance are fundamental values in society.’’
He also said he agrees with the “red lines” for political leaders that were ratified at the recent conference of the European Jewish Association in Brussels.
These ’’red lines are :
✓ Political parties and their leadership must sign up to the full IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance) definition of Anti-semitism.
✓ Every European Country must appoint a dedicated Special Representative to combat anti-Semitism where one already doesn’t exist
✓ All political parties pledge to exclude from government parties or politicians that espouse anti-Semitism as defined by the IHRA definition.
✓ All political parties to pass, in accordance with their respective rules of procedure, binding resolutions that reject BDS activities as fundamentally anti-Semitic.
✓ All political parties to support in writing and in party documents their support for freedom of religion and freedom of practice at Member State level and EU level.
46-year-old Weber is a Member of the European Parliament since 2004. He was elected Chairman of the European People’s Party in 2014.
If the Conservative group maintains its majority in the EU parliament after the May 2019 elections, Weber is likely to get the parliament’s backing to become the next president of the European Commission, the EU’s executive body, and succeed Jean-Claude Juncker. He will then need to be nominated by the EU leaders.
Weber is a member of the Christian Social Union (CSU) in Bavaria, the ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU).