New US legislation to monitor Europe’s anti-Semitism

While much of Americans’ focus was trained on Donald Trump, Hillary’s illness and Hurricane Matthew, Democratic representatives Nita Lowey, Steve Israel, Eliot Engel and Ted Deutch joined Republicans Chris Smith, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Kay Granger and Peter Roskam — all co-chairs of the House of Representatives Bipartisan Taskforce for Combating Anti-Semitism — in introducing the Combating European Anti-Semitism Act of 2016.

President George W. Bush signed the Global Anti-Semitism Review Act into law in 2004. The law provides the legal foundation for an annual State Department report documenting anti-Semitism around the world.

But while the House of Representatives unanimously passed a resolution in November 2015 calling on the secretary of state to continue reporting on anti-Semitism, negative sentiments about Jews have continued to find expression the sponsors say.

“It’s shocking that in the 21st century, anti-Semitism is gaining strength across Europe. From taunts and threats on the street; to violent attacks in schools and synagogues; to governments amplifying anti-Semitic voices and messages, such as leaders in Hungary giving a prestigious State award to anti-Semitic writer Zsolt Bayer, many European Jews are being forced to reconsider whether there is still a future for them in their countries,” a statement released on Friday read.

“This is unacceptable, and we will continue to call on leaders across Europe to speak out against this growing problem, strengthen partnerships with Jewish communities to help them develop safety standards, and foster cultures that respect diversity and inclusion of all minority groups, including Jews.”

The bill will amend the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to include a new paragraph discussing anti-Jewish sentiments in Europe, adding mandatory reporting on “the security challenges and needs of European Jewish communities and European law enforcement agencies” in countries in which “verbal or physical threats or attacks are particularly significant against Jewish persons, places of worship, schools, cemeteries, and other religious institutions.”

The United States is being encouraged by the new law to “partner with European law enforcement agencies and civil society groups regarding the sharing of information and best practices to combat anti-Semitic incidents in Europe”.

Educational initiatives to combat anti-Jewish sentiment and adopt a working definition of anti-Semitism will be undertaken soon, the sponsors say.

“This bill would require the Administration to continue taking a hard look at anti-Semitism in Europe, providing a thorough assessment of trends and outlining what the United States and our partners are doing to meet this challenge,” they wrote. “That way, we’ll have the best information available as we work to root out this pernicious threat and ensure that the commitment ‘never again’ remains a reality.”