The fight against anti-Semitism is “a marathon, not a sprint”. That said Europe and Constitution Minister Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP) on Monday at the World Summit on Counter-Terrorism in the Israeli city of Herzliya. In her speech, the minister was “gravely concerned about the rising anti-Semitism, not only in Austria and Europe, but worldwide”. Edtstadler also exchanged views on the subject with Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog in the afternoon.
At the terrorism conference, Edtstadler warned, “If Jews come under pressure in Austria, Europe and worldwide, so will our free democracies.”
Austria’s activities in the fight against anti-Semitism
After her meeting with Herzog, Edtstadler said she reported to the Israeli president about Austria’s many activities in the fight against anti-Semitism. “It has been shown once again that we have to show the world that we take our responsibility seriously and that Austria has fundamentally changed the way we deal with history compared to previous decades, and on the contrary, we are now pioneers and driving forces within the European Union in the fight against anti-Semitism.” Herzog had expressed a desire to visit Austria.
Dangers of Russian aggression
Anti-Semitic incidents rose sharply during the corona pandemic and increased further during attacks by the radical Islamic terrorist organization Hamas on Israel. “And experts say that Russia’s aggression against Ukraine also carries the danger of even more anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism worldwide.” Millennia-old prejudices cannot simply be eradicated. It takes everyone’s efforts “to fight this virus of hate”.
Measures to compensate Nazi victims
Austria has taken a firm stance against anti-Semitism at the international and national level and has also taken measures to compensate the victims of National Socialism, the minister of Europe assured. “We cannot make up for the atrocities committed by the Austrians during the Nazi regime. But I can promise that we will always do everything in our power to protect Jews from anti-Semitism.”
As Austrian initiatives, Edtstadler cited the first EU declaration against anti-Semitism adopted in 2018 under the Austrian Council Presidency, including a definition, the National Strategy against Anti-Semitism with 38 measures presented in 2021 and the Austrian-Jewish Cultural Heritage Act of 2021. In November 2021, the Shoah Memorial wall will be opened with 64,440 names of Austrian Jews murdered during the Nazi era.
This year, Austria initiated the first European anti-Semitism conference in Vienna, which will take place annually from now on. In addition, Austria has established a national forum against anti-Semitism involving the government and civil society.
Edtstadler also referred to the 2019 Citizenship Act amended, which now also allows citizenship to be granted to the descendants of victims of Holocaust persecution. “So far, about 21,000 survivors and their descendants have applied. More than 14,000 nationalities have been awarded and more will follow,” says Edtstadler.
Source: Krone
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