The Problematic Ruling that stirred up a storm in the Jewish Community in Germany shows that the Europeans have a lot to learn about “New Anti-Semitism”. Right in the middle of “Tzuk Eitan”, three Palestinians threw a Molotov cocktail at a shul in the town of Wuppertal, Germany. The three were arrested and then shortly released with minimal punishment, after they convinced the judge that their attack wasn’t anti sematic but rather against the state of Israel. The verdict shocked the whole Jewish community, as it’s a statement that legitimates violence against The State of Israel, by targeting Jewish institutions in Germany. An appeal was submitted to the higher court of justice in Dusseldorf but returned with the same result that denies any connection to Anti-Semitism.

How can it be that an attack on a synagogue is not referred to as an act of Anti-Semitism? Ten years ago, Jewish organizations established a document clarifying the differences between legitimate criticism on Israel and Anti-Semitism. The European Union rejected the document and took steps to prevent its presence on Authorized websites of the European Union, even though the organization is supposed to help fight Anti-Semitism.

Rabbi Menachem Margolin, Chairman of the EJA and The RCE, commented: The past three years have been a breakthrough on the definition of Antisemitism. The European Parliament, The British Parliament, The American State Department and the Senate, accepted the Documents on defining Antisemitism, But not all Europeans absorbed the idea.”