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Antisemitism is on the Rise
by R. Collins
"It is not certain that people understand what is going on here," said Malcolm Hoenline, director of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations in the U.S. in an interview from New York. "The very fact that there are so many attacks, and that millions of people go out to demonstrate in defense of a man who is a rabid anti-Semite, as well as the fact that there are politicians who refuse to discuss the subject of anti-Semitism for fear that it will harm their political image — all this is very worrying to the point of shock."
Hoenline is not surprised by the joining of forces between Kanye West, a black American who has made anti-Semitic statements recently, and Nick Fuentes, a white racist who believes in white supremacy. He maintains that recently, there is a marked rapport amongst white supremacists for the African public, which should be the object of hatred for the white minority. Their common denominator is a virulent hatred against Jews.
Hoenline is very disturbed by the recent developments, and states that they even cause him sleepless nights. To our question — what is happening now that did not happen before? — he replies:
Former President Donald Trump with Kanye West
"What is happening now is that while for many years we have warned and spoken about this problem of the accelerating hatred, people refused to accept the reality. It was easier to ignore the rise of anti-Semitism to dangerous proportions and choose to live their lives without recognizing it and fighting it accordingly. Now, however, people with a high profile are exploiting the social network, allowing themselves to express their anti-Semitism."
The leader of the Presidents Committee believes that the selective indifference of many American Jews surely did not help the system against this dangerous hatred. "We tacitly chose to live with the growing unease. We lived in peace with gross anti-Semitic statements but now we are beginning to see the results of this apathetic, ostrich-like policy of many of us. The situation is serious, to say the least."
According to Hoenline, the anti-Semitic statements in the media, including from prominent figures, is a part of the major problem heard in the streets on a daily basis. "During this past year, there has been a rise of 125% of anti-Semitic occurrences in New York! These acts have become more significant and serious. Only recently, a man was shot in a kosher restaurant in Staten Island and rioters smashed windows of a shul, endangering the worshipers. On the streets, there are many physical attacks against Jews."
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