The European Union’s coordinator on anti-Semitism has called on EU countries to have “zero tolerance” for hate speech after anti-Jewish attacks soared following the escalation in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
“We were not naive enough to think anti-Semitism was gone” from European society, Katharina von Schnurbein told The National. “We have seen the proliferation of anti-Semitism whenever there is a crisis, including during the [Covid-19] pandemic.”
The European Union’s coordinator on anti-Semitism has called on EU countries to have “zero tolerance” for hate speech as theybb struggle to contain a spike in anti-Jewish attacks following tnionon
Recent examples of anti-Jewish acts include reports of a mob protesting against Israel at a synagogue in the Spanish enclave of Melilla in North Africa and a firebomb assault on a synagogue in Berlin.
No one was hurt in the attacks, but many Jews across Europe are adopting a low-profile, saying they fear being targeted physically.
Buildings inhabited by Jews in the German capital have also had the star of David painted on their doors and walls.
Speaking less than a week after Hamas launched an unprecedented attack against Israel on October 7 that killed more than 1,400 people, France’s Interior Minister said anti-Semitic acts across the country had soared to reach “more than 100” in a few days.
Israel responded to the Hamas attack with a siege and intense shelling of the Gaza strip which has killed more than 4,100 Palestinians.
The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, launched its first-ever strategy to combat anti-Semitism in 2021. It runs until 2030.
The bloc's 27 countries in March 2022 committed to adopt their own national strategies. These are policy proposals and not legally binding documents. So far, this has been done by 11 member states.
At the time of the strategy’s launch in 2021, the Commission allocated €24 million for member states to better protect public spaces and places of worship.
The Commission is currently funding a €1 million project to address anti-Semitism through education in 12 EU countries, in co-operation with Unesco. It also aims to strengthen Jewish civil society.
“We see change is happening, but we also have to be aware that this strategy was adopted only two years ago,” said Ms von Schnurbein, who was appointed in 2015 as the first European Commission Coordinator on combating anti-Semitism.
“It will take time to really create change. We have to be realistic,” she said in a phone interview.
Fighting anti-Semitism in Europe is highly sensitive given the destruction of Europe's Jewish population in the Second World War and divisions within European countries over relations with Israel.
It is also high on the list of priorities for the Commission’s president Ursula von der Leyen.
In a speech to the European Parliament this week, she highlighted the importance of the EU’s Digital Services Act in fighting hate speech online and the recent investigation launched by the Commission in relation to X, Meta and TikTok.
“Synagogues have been vandalised. Hate speech and fake news are spreading at worrying speed. And this is something that we simply cannot accept,” she said. “It is our shared responsibility to make sure that our dark past does not return. We have to protect Jewish life in Europe.”
The Commission on Thursday gave Meta and TikTok one week to provide details on measures taken to counter the spread of terrorist, violent content and hate speech on their platforms, one week after Elon Musk's X was told to do the same.
Critics of the Commission’s strategy on anti-Semitism say that it relies too much on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition, which is closely linked to criticism of Israel.
They say the Commission does not do enough to recognise Palestinian victimhood, thus further fuelling polarisation.
The Commission rejects such criticism and says its strategy reflects the wishes and fears of Europe’s Jewish community.
The IHRA definition must continue being applied in Europe to recognise all forms of anti-Semitism, including Israel-related anti-Semitism, said Ms von Schnurbein.
“Not everything in the IHRA definition is automatically illegal,” she said.
“The IHRA definition itself states [that] whether an anti-Semitic incident is illegal is defined by law.”
Context is key when applying the IHRA definition, according to Ms von Schnurbein.
“Free Palestine” graffiti on a bridge is not the same as the same words drawn on a synagogue, in which case it collectively holds Jews in Europe responsible for what is happening in Israel, she said.
“When you stand with someone, it does not give the other the right to commit hate crimes.”
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
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Healthy tips to remember
Here, Dr Mohamed El Abiary, paediatric consultant at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai, shares some advice for parents whose children are fasting during the holy month of Ramadan:
Gradual fasting and golden points - For children under the age of 10, follow a step-by-step approach to fasting and don't push them beyond their limits. Start with a few hours fasting a day and increase it to a half fast and full fast when the child is ready. Every individual's ability varies as per the age and personal readiness. You could introduce a points system that awards the child and offers them encouragement when they make progress with the amount of hours they fast
Why fast? - Explain to your child why they are fasting. By shedding light on the importance of abstaining from food and drink, children may feel more encouraged to give it there all during the observance period. It is also a good opportunity to teach children about controlling urges, doing good for others and instilling healthy food habits
Sleep and suhoor - A child needs adequate sleep every night - at least eight hours. Make sure to set a routine early bedtime so he/she has sufficient time to wake up for suhoor, which is an essential meal at the beginning of the day
Good diet - Nutritious food is crucial to ensuring a healthy Ramadan for children. They must refrain from eating too much junk food as well as canned goods and snacks and drinks high in sugar. Foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and proteins, like fruits, fresh meats and vegetables, make for a good balanced diet
TERMINAL HIGH ALTITUDE AREA DEFENCE (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US's most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out ballistic missiles as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles inside and outside the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 150 kilometres above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then stationed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
