The European Jewish Congress (EJC) has called on the German government to step up the fight against anti-Semitism in Europe. At a meeting with chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Tuesday, the EJC leadership expressed appreciation for Germany's efforts to have a common EU-wide legal framework regarding acts of xenophobia, racism and anti-Semitism. “The German initiative should be pushed forward and special attention should be placed on the implementation of a hate crime law,” EJC president Pierre Besnainou said.
Among the topics discussed at the meeting were Jewish life in European countries and Europe's relationship with Israel. Later this week, Merkel will embark on a trip to the Middle East, including Israel. Besnainou underlined that the EJC was ready to engage in dialogue with the Christian churches and Muslims. Besnainou also underlined the importance of the EU in supporting moderate Arab states who work for a normalisation of the situation. The EJC president said that he was to exchange views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with representatives of Arab nations on Wednesday in Berlin.
EJC vice-presidents Charlotte Knobloch, Roger Cukierman and Ariel Muzicant, as well as the president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Henry Grunwald and EJC secretary-general Serge Cwajgenbaum, also took part in the one-hour-long meeting. The European Jewish Congress is the umbrella organization of Jewish communities in 40 European countries and affiliated to the World Jewish Congress.
