RESOLUTION – Countering Islamist Antisemitism

Motion 0420

General Assembly – December 27, 2020

Name of Union Submitting Policy

Union des Etudiants Juifs de France (UEJF)

Preamble:
The trial for the January 2015 Charlie Hebdo and the Hypercacher terror attacks — for which UEJF was a civil party — ended on December 16th. Throughout the trial, the clear evidence of the antisemitic nature of the Hypercacher attack was questioned, discussed, debated. Discussions questioning the antisemitic nature of such attacks are unfortunately commonplace in the aftermath of many attacks in Europe which are clearly antisemitic, with such instances seen in corresponding media coverage and legal proceedings. Over the past 20 years, Islamist Terrorism has caused over 500 deaths in Europe. Amidst the current rise in Europe-wide Islamist antisemitic violence, we Jewish Students raise the alarm and bid all Jewish Students Unions to take action.

Recalling that antisemitism, including Islamist Terrorism, has violently struck French and European Jewish Communities over the past years, including (but not limited to):

• 2012, March: The antisemitic attack against a Jewish School, Toulouse, France, four killed;
• 2014, May: The antisemitic attack of the Jewish Museum of Belgium, Brussels, Belgium, four killed;
• 2015, January: The antisemitic attack against a Kosher store, Paris, France, four killed;
• 2015, February: The antisemitic attack against a Cultural Center, one killed, followed by the antisemitic attack against the Great Synagogue of Copenhague, Denmark, one killed;
• 2017, March: The antisemitic murder of an older Jewish woman, Paris, France;
• 2020, October: The antisemitic attack against a Synagogue and additional places of the city of Vienna, Austria, two killed.

Acknowledging:

• That 90% of European Jews feel that antisemitism is on the rise;
• That 47% of European Jews worry about becoming victims of antisemitic verbal insult or harassment;
• That 70% of European Jews believe that their national government’s efforts to combat antisemitism are ineffective;
• That in 2019, compared to 2018, antisemitic offenses have risen by 27% in France, 25% in the UK and 13% in Germany, to name but a few examples.

And mindful of the amount of unreported antisemitic offenses as well as antisemitic offenses denied legal recognition as antisemitic.

EUJS notes that:

1. Islamism is a religious, political, radical, and murderous ideology that goes against Human Rights;
2. Islamist ideology is based on contempt for human beings, antisemitism, misogyny, hatred of those who think differently, of those who deviate, of progressiveness, and of modernity;
3. More specifically, Islamism carries strong antisemitic beliefs, and presents a direct threat to European Jewish communities, and to the life and security of its members;
4. Moreover, at national, European and global levels, some individuals, organisations, NGOs, networks, and charities are, or have been penetrated by Islamism or by individuals closely or remotely connected to this ideology, such as the Muslim Brotherhood, and while they may not always present direct signs of antisemitic rhetoric, their affiliation or intellectual complicity to the aforementioned warrants unequivocal condemnation;
5. At the same time, it is Muslims who suffer most from Islamist violence, and the fight against Islamism may never be used as an excuse for racism and islamophobia.

EUJS believes that:

1. All European Jews should be able to live free of the concern of antisemitism;
2. Actions taken by governments and international institutions to tackle Islamist antisemitism are not sufficient, as empirically shown by the rise of antisemitic offenses and terror attacks in Europe over the last decade and on a year-by-year basis;

EUJS resolves to:

1. Oppose Islamism in all of its forms. This means:
   a. To not partner up with nor engage with any individual, organisation, NGO, network or charity that maintains relations with any other individual or entity that is closely or remotely, formally or intellectually connected to Islamism;
   b. To not partner up with nor engage in programmes, partnerships, or panels giving floor to Islamist-affiliated organisations;
   c. To alert, when possible or necessary, of the presence of said organisations within groups in which EUJS is present;
   d. To withdraw from said groups if no action is taken by group leadership.
2. Hold accountable actors and organisations of the political or intellectual fields that may consciously engage or be morally complicit with Islamists or Islamist-affiliated entities. This includes MEPs, EU officials, heads of NGOs and other relevant actors, wherever they stand on the political spectrum.
3. Advocate for taking into account the threat of Islamism against the Jewish Community in all policy-related work on countering antisemitism at the European level;
4. Engage whenever possible in existing coordinated EU-level work on countering Islamist Terrorism, sharing best practices, reflections, information and, if needed, by connecting Member Unions to relevant authorities in the event of a threat;
5. Comprehensively train its Staff and Board Members on framing the issue of Islamism in Europe, and to deliver such training modules at relevant EUJS events;
6. Oppose equalizing Muslims with Islamism, and reaffirm our will to work for togetherness, and against hatred.

Resources:

1. Survey on discrimination and hate crime against Jews in the EU: Jewish experiences and perception of antisemitism, Fundamental Rights Agency, 2018
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid
4. Overview of Antisemitic incidents recorded in the EU, 2009-2019, Fundamental Rights Agency, 2019