A Point of View: Gaza goes global

Israel's operation to defend its people from Hamas rockets is having repercussions far beyond Gaza and the besieged cities of Sderot and Ashkelon. It is taking on a global reach and having a global impact, particularly for Jews in much of Western Europe and Latin America.

Assaults against Jews are on the rise. In Europe, Jews have been threatened and beaten on the street and synagogues firebombed. "Jews to the gas chambers" has been chanted at anti-Israel demonstrations in Europe and similar calls for death to Jews have been heard across the Arab and Muslim world.

While much of the violence and anti-Semitic graffiti has spilled over from anti-Israel rallies, where Israel and Jews are routinely likened to Nazis, it is part and parcel of the incitement against Jews and "World Zionism" endorsed by the terrorist leaders of Hamas. 

One of the top Hamas leaders, Mahmoud al-Zahar, recently called for Jewish children to be attacked around the world. The leader of Iran, Hamas's main supporter, said he would confer the status of "martyr" on "anyone who dies in this holy struggle against World Zionism," by which he means Jews anywhere. 

What is sorely lacking are voices from international leaders to counter the incitement of Hamas and Iran before their threats are translated into violence. Several governments have reportedly increased police protection around Jewish institutions, but those measures might only defend against or deter attackers who have already set their minds to kill or intimidate Jews or to destroy Jewish property. 

The unsophisticated methods and materials used in anti-Semitic attacks that we have seen to date, particularly in Europe, indicate that the assailants are not Hamas sleeper agents, but individuals who have decided to single out Jews and Jewish community institutions. 

These types of attacks may be dissuaded or deterred. But in order to prevent further incidents of anti-Semitism, political, religious and community leaders need to make clear that such attacks have no justification, no excuse, and will never be tolerated.

President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, who is consistently outspoken in condemning anti-Semitism, made such a statement after several synagogues had been firebombed, saying that he "utterly condemned the unacceptable violence, under the pretext of this conflict, against individuals, private property, and religious buildings," and assured "that these acts would not go unpunished." French Interior Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie also called together the heads of the French Jewish and French Muslim representative organizations to discuss attacks in France since the Israeli operation began in Gaza. The minister and the communal leaders all indicated that the Middle East conflict should not lead to anti-Semitic violence in France. 

The Dutch Justice Minister announced on January 14, 2009 that he would investigate allegations of anti-Semitism and incitement to hatred and violence at anti-Israel demonstrations, including whether public prosecutors were enforcing hate speech laws. And the British Parliament's All-Party Group against anti-Semitism expressed its "horror as a wave of antisemitic incidents has affected the Jewish community." Sadly, these few statements have been the exception, rather than the rule.

At the other end of the spectrum, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez has singled out its Jewish community and linked it to the Middle East conflict. After expelling Israel's ambassador, he demanded that Venezuelan Jews publicly criticize Israel. In doing so, he implied that the Jewish community is co-responsible for any Israeli actions and thus a legitimate target.

According to the Central Coordinating Organization of Belgian Jews, nine Belgian parliamentarians marched in an anti-Israel demonstration on January 11, 2009 that included mannequins of suicide bombers with explosive belts, flags of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hizbullah, and banners comparing Israel to the Nazis and Auschwitz to Gaza.

Between those positive and negative examples lies a vast official silence in the face of loud calls at demonstrations to "kill the Jews," the explosions of Molotov cocktails hitting synagogues, and the crash of bricks breaking the windows of Jewish schools. 

In Belgium, attackers tried to burn down two synagogues and a Jewish home with firebombs. Belgian Jewish leaders have received dozens of death threats. Jewish stores and a Jewish school were vandalized. To date, Belgium's prime minister has said nothing.

In Denmark, two Israelis were shot by a Dane of Palestinian descent. Danish public school principals have called for Jewish students not to be admitted to certain schools for their own safety. Denmark's prime minister, a noted friend of Israel, has said nothing.

In Greece, a synagogue was defaced with graffiti that read: "The state of Israel murders - whose side are you on?" The leader of a far-right party published an editorial that accused Israel of acting in Gaza like the Nazis, claiming that such could be expected of Jews because they are "Christ-killers." The editorial also included the phrase, "it is known all over the world that a Jew smells of blood."  Greece's Prime Minister has said nothing.

In Turkey, an Israeli basketball team fled from the court into the dressing room because the crowd became threatening, calling them "killers." Prior to that, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan did worse than say nothing. He called on Allah to punish Israel.

In Argentina, an anti-Israel demonstration was held in front of a Jewish community center. Protesters carried banners that equated Israel with the Nazis. Brazilian cartoons have made the same noxious comparison. The Chilean Jewish community reported a threat to kill everyone at one of their institutions.

In Arab countries, the anti-Semitic incitement in the press has been horrific and conflates Israelis with Jewish communities around the world. Every day Arab cartoons incite hatred by demonizing Israelis either as Nazis or with classic anti-Semitic tropes such as having horns or lusting after blood. Qatar's al-Watan published an article with the menacing statement, "The Zionists are spread all over the world and are connected through tribal bigotry with solid close ties ... The world's Jews should know that their participation in our massacre will not pass silently." 

Jews around the world were attacked when the second Palestinian Intifada began in 2000 and during Israel's war with Hizbullah in 2006. Security is government's primary responsibility, and an essential component of security is warning against threats and incitement. If world leaders do not speak out against anti-Semitic violence and incitement, if they allow the threats of Hamas and Iran to go unchallenged, they will have failed an important political and moral test.