The government launches “conferences to combat anti-Semitism” to define “a common base of republican values”

On Monday May 6, the government launched “conference for the fight against anti-Semitism”, whose outbreak alarms the Jewish community. The minister responsible for the fight against discrimination, Aurore Bergé, brought together in Paris in the morning the heads of several associations (International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism, SOS-Racism, etc.) and representatives of the six main religions to work on the subject. People who have been victims of anti-Semitism will also come and share their experiences.

It is “start a job” to define “a common base of republican values”we explain to the ministry, in order to “recognize anti-Semitism as it is and fight effectively against this scourge”. Personalities will be designated at the end of the morning to work on this ” common ground “. “When we see the unfortunately volume of anti-Semitic acts (…)it’s the whole of society that must wake up”declared Aurore Bergé on BFM-TV/RMC Friday, evoking a “terrifying resurgence”.

The number of anti-Semitic acts recorded in France almost quadrupled in 2023, to 1,676 compared to 436 in 2022, according to the Interior Ministry. The Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF) deplores an outbreak after October 7, 2023, the date of the bloody attacks by Hamas against Israel.

According to an IFOP survey for the French branch of the American Jewish Committee published Sunday in the Parisian, 94% of French people of Jewish faith believe that anti-Semitism has increased over the past ten years (+21 points compared to 2022). This same survey shows that 35% of 18-24 year olds feel that it is normal to attack Jews because of their support for Israel.

No political leaders present

At the global level, the Anti-Defamation League, the main group defending Jewish rights, expressed alarm on Sunday “unprecedented level” of anti-Semitic acts recorded in 2023, with the war between Hamas and Israel fueling a “fire that was already out of control”.

Aurore Bergé announced in March the organization of these meetings, in response to a column published by the collective Nous viverons and 70 personalities, which called on European candidates to get involved “without detour and without complacency” against anti-Semitism. On the other hand, and contrary to what was initially planned, no political leader will be present, “to avoid making it a political subject before the European elections”we explain to the ministry.

Politicians will be invited to a second session after the June 9 vote. The organizers hope “to politically dispassionate the subject” which risked becoming a pretext “to political postures”. Since October 7, 2023, representatives of the Jewish community have regularly accused La France insoumise (LFI) of fueling anti-Semitism. Marine Le Pen has, for her part, several times posed as a critic of anti-Semitic acts.

“Moral, political, ideological confusions”

Monday’s meetings also take place against a backdrop of pro-Palestinian mobilization at universities, particularly at Sciences Po where student activism is accused of fueling anti-Semitism on campus. During Monday’s meetings, “we are obviously waiting for a reminder of a strong public statement on anti-Semitism”said Yonathan Arfi, president of CRIF.

Receiving the CRIF at the Elysée for his 80th birthday, Emmanuel Macron insisted in March that the State would continue to tirelessly fight anti-Semitism with “the same firmness” and the “same intransigence”. Mr. Arfi also hoped that this anti-Semitism would be combatted “in all its components, including the place taken by hatred of Israel”.

The president of CRIF is expected to repeat his concerns in the evening during his traditional annual dinner, which will be held in the presence of Prime Minister Gabriel Attal. Several other ministers were invited, as well as the President of the Senate, Gérard Larcher, the President of the Ile-de-France region, Valérie Pécresse (Les Républicains), the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo (Socialist Party), and representatives of several parties (but neither the National Rally nor the LFI).

Mr. Arfi intends to convey during this dinner “a message imbued with seriousness” faced with the outbreak of anti-Semitic acts and “decipher what this rise means about the moral, political, ideological confusions that cross [la] Company “.