News Release
Romano Prodi
No.
2/04
January 8, 2003
THE "ANTI-SEMITISM CONTROVERSY"
PRESIDENT
PRODI'S SPEAKING NOTE
EUROPEAN COMMISSION MEETING
BRUSSELS, JANUARY 7, 2004
All
of you have certainly read in Monday's FT [Financial Times] an article
on the issue of anti-Semitism very critical of the Commission.
The
article was signed by the president of the World Jewish Congress, Edgar Bronfman,
and the president of the European Jewish Congress, Cobi Benatoff.
We
were accused both of action and inaction for having published the by now famous
Eurobarometer poll on Israel and for not having published the by now equally
famous Report on
anti-Semitism commissioned by the Vienna-based
Monitoring Centre on Racism and anti-Semitism.
I
spare you the rest of the accuses. Suffice to say that we were blamed for a "failure
of will and decency."
I
repeat to you what
I wrote Mr. Bronfman and Mr. Benatoff on Monday, i. e. that I was "surprised
and shocked" by their letter.
Early November, the very same day the Eurobarometer was published, I met in New
York the representatives of the major American Jewish organisations, among them
the Anti-Defamation League and Mr. Bronfman's World Jewish Congress.
I
expressed them my deep regret for the Eurobarometer poll, I made very clear that
no political motivation was behind such publication, I took the commitment to
repeat these comments in an article to be published as quick as possible, I suggested
to jointly organise a
seminar so as to discuss the problem of anti-Semitism
in the broader context of the making of the
new and larger Europe.
They
reacted very favourably. In particular, they greatly appreciated the idea of the
seminar.
Following the meeting in New York, I had a phone conversation with Mr. Benatoff,
phone conversation that was made public by our press service.
A
few days later, I published an article in the European Voice repeating
my regret for the Eurobarometer poll and confirming my intention to organise the
seminar.
Finally, on December the 18th I held a meeting with the representatives
of the European Jewish Congress and the Conference of the European Rabbis, the
two umbrella organisations, secular and religious, of European Jewish communities.
The
meeting allowed us all to confirm our overall commitment in the
fight against anti-Semitism and was, in particular, an occasion for finalising
the last details of the seminar to be held tentatively during the month of February.
All
this said, you may well understand why I was both surprised and shocked. The decision
to suspend the preparation of the seminar was unavoidable.
Where are we now? Mr. Benatoff isued a statement yesterday where, while expressing
his hope for a "firmer and quicker reaction against anti-Semitism" on
the part of Europe, he declared that the letter had been written before our December
18th meeting in Brussels, distanced himself from the title of the FT's
article ("Europe Moral Treachery over Anti-Semitism") and called me
"a friend sincerely worried by the resurgence of anti-Semitism."
The
Conference of European Rabbis sent me a letter confirming their deepest appreciation
for all the support they have received from the European Commission and for our
contribution to the fight against anti-Semitism.
The
director of the World Jewish Congress, rav. Israel Singer, has expressed his willingness
to immediately fly over to Brussels for a meeting.
The
Anti-Defamation League wrote me a letter stating that they had learned of the
controversy "only via media reports," supporting my "readiness
to consider and support the seminar" and expressing their hope that the seminar
may be resuscitated and preparation resumed.
The
President of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, Prof. Amos Luzzatto, who
took part in our meeting on December the 18th, issued an official declaration
criticising the letter by Messrs. Bronfman and Benatoff and stressing the need
for a close cooperation with the European Commission.
Let
me conclude by repeating that reacting to and rejecting the defamatory accuse
of being anti-Semitic levelled at the European Commission was nothing less than
our moral obligation. On this, no compromise was or is possible.
Having made this point crystal clear, I believe we should confirm our desire to
re-establish as soon as possible a fruitful cooperation with the Jewish organisations
and, on this basis, to resume the preparations for the seminar. There are signs
that things are moving in the right direction.
We
should not lose this chance of debating and facing an issue, the fight against
anti-Semitism and all racisms, that goes to the very core of the project of a
Europe built in peace and security as a "Union of minorities."
*****
Background
material and
letters from Jewish Associations are available upon request.
