New Likud MK forms caucus on fighting antisemitism
"Antisemitism and delegitimization go hand in hand around the world. It’s the same old hatred of Judaism,” Likud MK Ariel Kallner said.
By GIL HOFFMANPeople attend a demonstration themed with the slogan "#unteilbar" (indivisible) to protest against antisemitism, racism and nationalism in Berlin, Germany, October 13, 2019(photo credit: HANNIBAL HANSCHKE/REUTERS)
The Knesset will enter the fray in fighting antisemitism and efforts to delegitimize Israel around the world, thanks to a new caucus officially formed Wednesday by new Likud MK Ariel Kallner.Kallner entered the Knesset in place of new ambassador to the US Gilad Erdan, who led the government’s fight against efforts to boycott, divest and sanction Israel as minister of strategic affairs.The new MK dealt with such issues as chairman of the Hazon Leumi (National Vision) organization, whose goal is to raise a new generation of strong young leaders, with developed Jewish identities and intellectual ability to develop deep vision to affect the agenda of Jewish people and the State of Israel.“Israel is the state of the Jewish people, and we are responsible for the Jews of the world,” Kallner said. Antisemitism and delegitimization go hand in hand around the world. It’s the same old hatred of Judaism.”Kallner said the caucus would centralize efforts to reveal organizations in Israel that receive aid from foreign countries in delegitimizing the country, its citizens and the IDF, and would use legislation and legal means against those organizations. He also intends to fight efforts to put Israelis on trial at the International Court of Justice at the Hague and stop foreign countries from funding Palestinian attempts to take over land in Area C of Judea and Samaria.But he said there were also positive trends of European parliaments stopping funding for organizations advocating boycotts against Israel and other antisemitic activities.MKs from Likud, Blue and White, Yesh Atid and Yamina are in the caucus. Kallner intends to meet with the leaders in Israeli efforts against antisemitism, including ADL Israel office director Carole Nuriel and Erdan’s replacement as strategic affairs minister, Orit Farkash Hakohen.The coronavirus has led to new antisemitism, Kallner warned, citing a University of Oxford study that found that 20 percent of British people believe Jews created COVID-19 to collapse the economy for financial gain.“Whenever there have been plagues in history, Jews always ended up getting blamed,” he said. “Jews have too often been the scapegoat. It is happening now with wicked people blaming Jews for corona as well. But now we have the means to fight it.”
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