2 No. 57 JUSTICE his is the first time that Justice is appearing exclusively in digital form. We trust that the new format will reach a wider readership than before, and that the articles and materials herein will contribute to and expand on the subjects dealt with by the IAJLJ. Diaspora and Israeli Jewry are experiencing difficult times. Manifestations of antisemitism involve injury to Jews in various countries, of late in France in particular. In Israel, we are witnessing an occurrence still labeled as an "intifada of individuals," characterized by stabbing of citizens and soldiers. As I am finishing to write this message, terrorism has reached a higher level. On February 3, 2016, a border policewoman was shot and killed at the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem and her female partner was critically wounded by a gang of three, which indicates planning and coordination. This brings us to the conclusion that we are dealing no more with individual initiatives. The result is that over 30 Israelis have been killed and over 300 wounded to date in this current wave of terrorism. On October 4, 2015, Palestinian law student Muhammad Al-Halabi was killed after stabbing two Israelis to death in Jerusalem's Old City. Shockingly, the Palestinian Bar Association awarded an Honorary Law Degree to this murderer, referring to him as a “martyr,” and stated that its next bar swearing-in ceremony would be dedicated to him. As the Palestinian Bar Association received funding from the European Union, IAJLJ sent a letter on October 13, 2015 to EU Ambassador to Israel, Lars FaaborgAndersen, calling upon the EU to review its policy of supporting such an organization. Our letter and the reply we received are available on the IAJLJ website. The year 2016 began with another deadly attack, in the heart of Tel Aviv. On January 1, 2016, three citizens were murdered by an Israeli Arab on Dizengoff Street. The fine fabric of civic relationships between Jews and Arabs was severely shaken by this horrendous murder. However, we must not forget that blame should not be cast on Arab society in its entirety, and that a large proportion among them condemned the murder and wish to live alongside us peacefully. This wish must be reinforced. Israel's Declaration of Independence reminds us that: The State of Israel will be open for Jewish immigration and for the Ingathering of the Exiles! …it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex… The contribution of Israeli Arabs to diverse areas of society must also be kept in mind. I have already reported in our Newsletter of April 2015 and on our website, on establishing a joint council of Arab and Israeli lawyers together with IAJLJ members, the goal being to ensure that Israel’s law will be enforced everywhere in an egalitarian manner, and that the phenomenon of racism is fought against. Additional recent activities by the IAJLJ that we feel are highly important include efforts to develop dialogue with European Union states to discuss with them definitions of antisemitism, and action to enforce the law relative to crimes of antisemitism perpetrated in various countries. In this context the IAJLJ, together with the Kantor Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry at Tel Aviv University, held a symposium at the Austrian Ministry of Justice, with the participation of Austria’s Minister of Justice and Minister of the Interior, who delivered greetings and addressed the topic under discussion. I take this opportunity, therefore, to thank the President of the European Jewish Congress, Dr. Moshe Kantor, whose generosity made this event possible. The objective was to focus attention on the working definition of antisemitism, which was not adopted by EU countries, and which even includes “the new antisemitism,” directed against the State of Israel. The lectures there were intended to expose the positive aspects of the definition, in an attempt to possibly lead to its eventual adoption. No less important is working with law enforcement authorities in the various countries, and conducting dialogue on how to enforce domestic law in each country relative to antisemitic crimes. The EU indicated its serious intentions in this area by appointing Katharina von Schnurbein as EC Coordinator on Combating Antisemitism. We will of course be in touch with her. This approach will also be applied to other states that expressed willingness to discuss the topics presented in President’s Message T
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