U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C.

CONCERNING RISE IN ANTI-SEMITISM IN EUROPE -- (House of Representatives -- July 09, 2002)

Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 393) concerning the rise in anti-Semitism in Europe, as amended.

The Clerk read as follows:

Whereas there can be no justification for violence or intolerance against minorities;

Whereas the 1993 Helsinki Declaration expressed the commitment of its signatories, including all European member states, to the promotion of tolerance toward minorities;

Whereas there has been a significant rise in anti-Semitic verbal incitement and physical attacks on Jewish people and Jewish institutions throughout Europe during the last 18 months with as many as 400 incidents reported in France;

Whereas anti-Semitism is defined as hostility towards Jews;

Whereas certain groups in Europe have exploited the situation in the Middle East as an excuse to carry out violent acts against Jews;

Whereas, although the continued violence in the Middle East is disturbing and must be resolved, exploiting that violence to fuel hostility or violence against Jews and Jewish institutions is reprehensible;

Whereas, according to news reports, the following anti-Semitic attacks are among those which have taken place in Europe in recent weeks --

(1) on March 3, Molotov cocktails were thrown at a synagogue in Antwerp, Belgium,

(2) on March 16, an explosive device was thrown into a Jewish cemetery in Berlin, Germany,

(3) on March 30, two vehicles were smashed at La Duchere synagogue in Lyon, France, and a kosher butcher shop was strafed by gunfire in Toulouse, France,

(4) on April 1, a Jewish school was attacked in Sarcelles, France, a firebomb was thrown at the Anderlecht synagogue in Brussels, Belgium, the Or Aviv synagogue (including its Torah scrolls) in Marseille, France, was destroyed by fire, and two Yeshiva students from New Jersey were brutally beaten in Berlin, Germany,

(5) on April 4, vehicles belonging to a Jewish school were burned in Aubervilliers, France, and a synagogue in Montpellier, France, was firebombed,

(6) on April 6, a Jewish sports association storefront was firebombed in Toulouse, France,

(7) on April 11, in Bondy, France, a Jewish soccer team was attacked with sticks and metal bars after the attackers shouted anti-Semitic remarks,

(8) on April 12, a Jewish cemetery was desecrated in Strasbourg, France,

(9) on April 13, synagogue worshipers were attacked in Kiev, Ukraine, and

(10) on May 1, in the Finsbury Park synagogue in London, England, vandals defaced prayer books and painted swastikas throughout the sanctuary;

Whereas anti-Semitic attacks are not confined to a single European nation;

Whereas President Bush, speaking for the American people, has rejected "the ancient evil of anti-Semitism" making specific reference to anti-Semitism in Europe; and

Whereas Europe, in view of its history, should be particularly sensitive to the scourge of anti-Semitism and anti-Semitic violence: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that --

(1) the governments of Europe should continue to take necessary steps to provide security and to protect the safety and well-being of their Jewish communities;

(2) the governments of Europe should deplore anti-Semitic expressions and should prosecute and punish perpetrators of anti-Semitic violence; and

(3) the governments of Europe should continue to make a concerted effort to cultivate an atmosphere in which all forms of anti-Semitism are rejected.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) each will control 20 minutes.

The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman).

GENERAL LEAVE

Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Res. 393, the resolution under consideration.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New York?

There was no objection.

Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 393, expressing the sense of the House concerning the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe. I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) for introducing this important resolution and for the support of the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), the chairman of the Committee on International Relations, and the ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos).

H. Res. 393 discusses many reported anti-Semitic crimes over the past 18 months, including 400 incidents reported in France alone. The resolution recites a number of these anti-Semitic crimes that have occurred over the past few years. It calls upon European governments to take necessary steps to ensure the well-being of their Jewish communities and to speak out against anti-Semitic expressions, to prosecute perpetrators of anti-Semitic violence, and to cultivate an atmosphere in which all forms of anti-Semitism will be rejected.

Since the outbreak of Palestinian violence in Israel almost 2 years ago, the European continent has witnessed an upsurge in violent anti-Semitic attacks directed at both Jewish institutions and individuals. It has been unprecedented in magnitude and brutality since World War II.

Anti-Semitic crimes, including the intentional destruction and desecration of synagogues and other Jewish institutions, as well as violent assaults against individual Jews, are not isolated to any particular neighborhood or to any particular city or to any particular country of Europe. Rather, outbursts of anti-Semitic violence have come to plague the entire continent. Our allies of Europe have not done enough until now either to recognize the seriousness of this problem for its urgency or to take any decisive action against those who fuel hatred and perpetrate criminal acts against Jewish populations.

The results of a recent Anti-Defamation League opinion survey concerning European attitudes toward Jews, towards Israel and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict conducted in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom reveal that 30 percent of Europeans surveyed harbored traditional anti-Semitic stereotypes and approximately one-third of French and Belgian respondents said they were unconcerned or fairly concerned about ongoing anti-Jewish violence in Europe. Those results are certainly distressing.

Many European governments have been unwilling to recognize the seriousness of this problem until now many months after the outbreak of a violent campaign targeting Jews with impunity.

The decision of some European leaders to treat this phenomenon as if it were nothing more than an occasion of inter-communal strife between Jews and Muslims, rationalized by some as the product of legitimate, pent-up anger and frustration is certainly troubling.

Such thinking is dangerous. It represents an unwillingness to recognize the uniqueness of anti-Semitism as a form of hatred, especially in light of Europe's troubled history in that regard. What the Jews of Europe are witnessing now is not some broader phenomenon so readily characterized as a problem in community relations or racism. Rather, by attempting to characterize the recent anti-Semitic violence in such terms, European leaders are doing nothing more than obfuscating, or even denying the unique problem at hand, and are thereby, in effect, permitting it to continue.

Decisive action against perpetrators of anti-Semitic crimes in Europe must be taken, including the pursuit and prosecution of suspects, as well as the upgrading of security at Jewish institutions. But even more important, the nature of the problem must be recognized for what it truly is. The problem I am talking about is the intentional, deliberate targeting of Jews simply because they are Jews, as well as the desire to use the crisis in Israeli-Palestinian relations as a pretext for terrorizing Jews simply due to their religious affiliation and not due to any actual harm they may have caused to anyone else. A central tenet of H. Res. 393 is that exploiting the violence in the Middle East to fuel hostility or violence against Jews and Jewish institutions is reprehensible.

I applaud today's U.S.-German public meeting in the city of Berlin on the issue of anti-Semitism, and I urge member and observer states of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to seize this opportunity of the current annual session of their Parliamentary Assembly to hold a special meeting on anti-Semitism.

Accordingly, I urge Members to vote for H. Res. 393, which sends a strong message that the well-being of the Jews of Europe half a century after the Holocaust remains a serious concern of the United States to this very day, and will remain a priority of ours. President Bush has rejected this problem calling it "this ancient evil."

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, as the only survivor of the Holocaust ever elected to the Congress of the United States, I want to commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley), a valued member of our committee, for his outstanding resolution and for his untiring efforts in calling attention to the scourge of anti-Semitism in Europe. I also want to thank the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) for expediting the consideration of this resolution and the gentleman from California (Mr. Gallegly), who has been most cooperative in bringing this resolution before us today. But I particularly want to express my personal gratitude to the distinguished chairman emeritus of the Committee on International Relations who during his entire distinguished career in this body has been a powerful champion for human rights and against all forms of discrimination, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman).

Mr. Speaker, anti-Semitism in Europe has resulted in vicious attacks against Jews on an almost daily basis. Our resolution highlights some of these incredibly brutal, medieval incidents.

In France, Jewish organizations recorded more than 300 anti-Semitic attacks in the month of April alone: Desecration of Jewish cemeteries, physical and verbal assaults against Jewish children in playgrounds and on soccer fields, fire bombing and vandalizing of Jewish institutions.

In Belgium, the headquarters of the European Union, rabbis and other Jewish community leaders have been repeatedly assaulted, and worshipers have been attacked on their way to and from synagogues.

In England, dozens of threats and physical assaults against Jews have been reported in recent months. Just a short while ago, a suburban London synagogue was vandalized, religious artifacts were defaced, and crude swastikas were painted throughout the building.

In Germany, some 127 anti-Semitic incidents were reported during the first quarter of this year. In Berlin, a Jewish hospital was ransacked and Jews have been beaten.

Mr. Speaker, we cannot instantaneously change the attitudes of many Europeans who for a long period of time have been holding anti-Semitic views. A survey conducted by the Anti-Defamation League last month in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany and the United Kingdom found that almost one-third of the residents of those countries harbor traditional anti-Semitic stereotypes.

The problem is clear, and the response must be equally clear. Our strong resolution today calls upon the governments of Europe to take all necessary steps to protect the safety and well-being of their Jewish communities and to cultivate an atmosphere of cooperation and reconciliation among their Jewish and non-Jewish residents.

There are positive and concrete steps that the European governments must take. Government officials cannot stop what people think; but they can set an example of tolerance, and they can act quickly and decisively to punish those who perpetrate racially- and religiously-based violence.

Government leaders can and must publicly and quickly condemn anti-Semitic incidents, and they should condemn them for what they are, unadulterated anti-Semitism, not merely spillover from the Middle East, as some would have it labeled. This merely obfuscates the issue.

Government leaders must insist that these incidents of racism and bigotry are quickly and carefully investigated and that their perpetrators are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. It is not sufficient or acceptable for government officials to tell Jews to refrain from wearing distinctive religious clothing, as happened in at least one European country. That puts the onus on the victim and not on the perpetrator.

Mr. Speaker, the distinguished head of the Anti-Defamation League made reference to a recent disturbing survey of anti-Semitism in Europe that was conducted by the Anti-Defamation League.

My good friend, Abe Foxman, National Director of the ADL, wrote an excellent article discussing the survey results and the very disturbing phenomenon of anti-Semitism in Europe entitled "Europe's Anti-Israel Excuse." Abe Foxman provides excellent insight into how the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict has led to the resurrection of widespread open anti-Semitism in Europe. As a Holocaust survivor, Mr. Foxman brings a unique perspective about the dangers of bigotry and prejudice, since he personally experienced the effects of widespread, unchallenged anti-Semitism in the 1940s.

With European governments turning a blind eye to anti-Semitism and dismissing attacks on Jews as merely a reaction to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Mr. Foxman correctly observes that the future of Jewish life in Europe is in question.

Mr. Speaker, I will include for the RECORD Mr. Foxman's article in its entirety, and I urge all of my colleagues to give it the serious and thoughtful attention it deserves.

Mr. Speaker, I again commend my good friend and distinguished colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley), for bringing this resolution to our attention. I urge all of my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I include the Abe Foxman article entitled "Europe's Anti-Israel Excuse" for the RECORD.

. . .

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), who is Chairman of the Helsinki Commission and has recently led a delegation to Europe to discuss this very issue.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend for yielding me time, and I rise in very strong support of H. Res. 393. I want to commend its sponsor and all of the Members who are taking part in this very important debate.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, along with the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cardin), who is on the floor and will be speaking momentarily, we returned back from the OSCE, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Parliamentary Assembly.

Every year, parliamentarians from the 55 nations that comprise the OSCE meet to discuss issues of importance. This year the focus was on terrorism, but we made sure that a number of other issues, because certainly anti-Semitism is inextricably linked to terrorism, were raised in a very profound way.

Yesterday, two very historic and I think very vital things happened in this debate. I had the privilege of co-chairing a historic meeting on anti-Semitism with a counterpart, a member of the German Bundestag, Professor Gert Weisskirchen, who is a member of the Parliament there, also a professor of applied sciences at the University of Heidelberg, and we heard from four very serious, very credible and very profound voices in this battle to wage against anti-Semitism.

We heard from Abraham Foxman, the National Director of the Anti-Defamation League, who gave a very impassioned but also very empirical speech, that is to say he backed it up with statistics, with information about this rising tide of anti-Semitism, not just in Europe, but in the United States and Canada as well.

He pointed out, for example, according to their data, 17 percent of Americans are showing real anti-Semitic beliefs, and the ugliness of it. Sadly, among Latinos and African Americans, it is about 35 percent. He pointed out in Europe, in the aggregate, the anti-Semitism was about 30 percent of the population.

Dr. Shimon Samuels also spoke, who is the Director of the Wiesenthal Center in Paris. He too gave a very impassioned and very documented talk. He made the point that the slippery slope from hate speech to hate crime is clear. Seventy-two hours after the close of the Durban hate-fest, its virulence struck at the strategic and financial centers of the United States. He pointed out, "If Durban was Mein Kampf, than 9/11 was Kristallnacht, a warning.

"What starts with the Jews is a measure, an alarm signalling impending danger for global stability. The new anti-Semitic alliance is bound up with anti-Americanism under the cover of so-called anti-globalization."

He also testified and said, "The Holocaust for 30 years acted as a protective Teflon against blatant anti-Semitic expression. That Teflon has eroded, and what was considered distasteful and politically incorrect is becoming simply an opinion. But cocktail chatter at fine English dinners," he said, "can end as Molotov cocktails against synagogues.

"Political correctness is also eroding for others, as tolerance for multi-culturism gives way to populous voices in France, Italy, Austria, Denmark, Portugal and in the Netherlands. These countries' Jewish communities can be caught between the rock of radical Islamic violence and the hard place of a revitalized Holocaust-denying extreme right.

"Common cause," he concluded, "must be sought between the victimized minorities against extremism and fascism."

I would point out to my colleagues one of those who spoke pointed out, it was Professor Julius Schoeps, that he has found that people do not say "I am anti-Semitic;" they just say "I do not like Jews," a distinction without a difference, and, unfortunately, it is rearing itself in one ugly attack after another.

I would point out in that Berlin very recently, two New Jersey yeshiva students, after they left synagogue, they left prayer, there was an anti-American, anti-Israeli demonstration going on, and they were asked repeatedly, are you Jews? Are you Jews? And then the fists started coming their way and they were beaten right there in Berlin.

Let me finally say, Mr. Speaker, that yesterday we also passed a supplementary item at our OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. I was proud to be the principal sponsor. The gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cardin) offered a couple of strengthening amendments during the course of that debate, and we presented a united force, a U.S. force against anti-Semitism.

I would just point out this resolution now hopefully will act in concert with other expressions to wake up Europe. We cannot sit idly by. If we do not say anything, if we do not speak out, we allow the forces of hate to gain a further foothold. Again, that passed yesterday as well.

Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to become much more aware that this ugliness is rearing its ugly face, not just in the United States, but Canada, in Europe, and we have to put to an end to it. Hate speech and hate crimes go hand in hand.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the resolution.

United States Helsinki Commission -- Anti-Semitism in the OSCE Region

The Delegations of Germany and the United States will hold a side event to highlight the alarming escalation of anti-Semitic violence occurring throughout the OSCE region.

All Heads of Delegations have been invited to attend, as well as media and NGOs.

The United States delegation has introduced a supplementary item condemning anti-Semitic violence. The Resolution urges Parliamentary Assembly participants to speak out against anti-Semitism.

12:30 PM-2:00 PM, MONDAY, 8 JULY

The Representation of Lower Saxony
In der Ministergaerten
10 10117 Berlin -- approximately a 15-minute walk from the Bundestag and across from the Holocaust Memorial construction site.

Co-Hosts

Prof. Gert Weisskirchen, Member of the German Bundestag and Professor of Applied Cultural Sciences, Universita 4t Heidelberg.

Representative Christopher H. Smith, Head of United States Delegation to the OSCE-PA and Co-Chairman of the United States Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Presenters

Mr. Abraham H. Foxman, National Director, Anti-Defamation League.

Dr. Shimon Samuels, Director for International Liaison Simon Wiesenthal Center -- Paris.

Dr. Wolfgang Benz, Director of the Center for anti-Semitic Research at the Technical University of Berlin.

Dr. Julius Schoeps, Professor Modern History, University of Potsdam & Director of the Moses Mendelssohn Center for European-Jewish Studies.

Supplementary Item on Anti-Semitic Violence in the OSCE Region for the 11th Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Berlin, 6-10 July 2002 [Principal sponsor: Mr. Christopher H. Smith, USA]

1. Recalling that the OSCE was the first organization to publicly achieve international condemnation of anti-Semitism through the crafting of the 1990 Copenhagen Concluding Document;

2. Noting that all participating States, as stated in the Copenhagen Concluding Document, commit to "unequivocally condemn" anti-Semitism and take effective measures to protect individuals from anti-Semitic violence;

3. Remembering the 1996 Lisbon Concluding Document, which highlights the OSCE's "comprehensive approach" to security, calls for "improvement in the implementation of all commitments in the human dimension, in particular with respect to human rights and fundamental freedoms," and urges participating States to address "acute problems," such as anti-Semitism;

4. Reaffirming the 1999 Charter for European Security, committing participating States to "counter such threats to security as violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief and manifestations of intolerance, aggressive nationalism, racism, chauvinism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism;"

5. Recognizing that the scourge of anti-Semitism is not unique to any one country, and calls for steadfast perseverance by all participating States;

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:

6. Unequivocally condemns the alarming escalation of anti-Semitic violence throughout the OSCE region;

7. Voices deep concern over the recent escalation in anti-Semitic violence, as individuals of the Judaic faith and Jewish cultural properties have suffered attacks in many OSCE participating States;

8. Recognizes the danger of anti-Semitic violence to European security, especially in light of the trend of increasing violence and attacks region wide;

9. Declares that violence against Jews and other manifestations of intolerance will never be justified by international developments or political issues, and that it obstructs democracy, pluralism, and peace;

10. Urges all States to make public statements recognizing violence against Jews and Jewish cultural properties as anti-Semitic, as well as to issue strong, public declarations condemning the depredations;

11. Calls upon participating States to ensure aggressive law enforcement by local and national authorities, including thorough investigation of anti-Semitic criminal acts, apprehension of perpetrators, initiation of appropriate criminal prosecutions and judicial proceedings;

12. Urges participating States to bolster the importance of combating anti-Semitism by holding a follow-up seminar or human dimension meeting that explores effective measures to prevent anti-Semitism, and to ensure that their laws, regulations, practices and policies confirm with relevant OSCE commitments on anti-Semitism; and

13. Encourages all delegates to the Parliamentary Assembly to vocally and unconditionally condemn manifestations of anti-Semitic violence in their respective countries and at all regional and international fora.

Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for his leadership on this issue and for taking the issue to the OSCE. I thank the gentleman very much.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley), my good friend, our distinguished colleague, and the author of this important resolution.

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my resolution, ÐH. Res. 393, which calls on European governments to address the rise of anti-Semitism throughout the continent of Europe. I introduced this bill because I am concerned that Europe is on the verge of another Kristallnacht. Anti-Semitism, accompanied by, in many cases by violence, is at the highest levels since the horrors of World War II. According to the British Daily Telegraph, more than 2,000 anti-Semitic incidents were reported throughout the European Union in the last 10 months, more than 18 every single day.

As I have listened very intently to my good friend from New Jersey who just came back from Europe and talking about the rise of anti-Semitism, not only in Europe, but in the United States and Canada, it is ugly wherever it raises its head.

We must keep in mind, we do not share a similar history when it comes to dealing with the issue of anti-Semitism. We all know what the history of Europe has been.

Among the most recent incidents on March 30, two yeshiva students from New Jersey were brutally beaten on the streets of Berlin in an anti-Semitic attack.

On April 11, 15 hooded attackers assaulted a Jewish teenage soccer team in Bondy, France, with sticks and metal bars while yelling anti-Semitic remarks.

On April 27, a synagogue in a London suburb was desecrated by vandals, who painted swastikas on the walls and destroyed religious articles.

Two synagogues in Belgium were firebombed earlier this year.

Also in Belgium, two Hasidic Jews in Antwerp were attacked ferociously as a chorus of teenage attackers spat on them, chanting "dirty Jew" and praising Hitler. One of the two men had just emerged from the hospital a few days later when his 10-year-old daughter was also attacked by assailants chanting a chorus of anti-Semitic remarks. The girl now walks to and from school with an escort.

Anti-Semitism is clearly on the rise. The French government reported 320 anti-Semitic incidents in 2001, almost one per day. But this year French Jewish organizations reported over 300 incidents in the month of April alone.

Jewish cemeteries have been vandalized, a kosher butcher shop near Toulouse was the target of a drive-by shooting, and the Or Aviv Synagogue in Marseille was burned to the ground by arsonists during the Passover holiday.

Not every European government faces a rash of anti-Semitism. Norway, for example, has experienced few hate crimes directed at Jews, and Prime Minister Bondevik made it clear his government will forcefully prosecute any anti-Semitic attacks.

Other governments have taken only minor steps to address anti-Semitism. France, for example, has increased the police presence at major Jewish sites in the aftermath of several attacks. They just this week established a 24-hour hotline for the Jewish community, and they have also appointed a liaison between the French government and the French Jewish community.

But such steps are few and far between, and, in my opinion, do not go far enough. European governments have done little to punish the perpetrators of such attacks, or, more importantly, they have done little to foster an atmosphere in which Jews and other minority groups can live free from harassment as normal members of their societies.

Indeed, several senior European officials have made their anti-Semitism clear and demonstrated that their bigotry affects government policies. Extremist xenophobes like Haider in Austria and Le Pen in France have made hatred and intolerance the basis of their party's political platforms. Le Pen made it into a runoff race for the presidency of France. While he did not win, his base of support in France remains strong.

France no longer appears to be guided by the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man, the foundation for French democracy, which called for equal rights for all. Daniel Bernard, the French ambassador in London, recently referred to Israel with an obscenity when he attributed all the troubles in the Middle East to Israel. When his remarks were reported in the press, Ambassador Bernard refused to apologize and the foreign ministry refused to censure him.

Bernard's remarks, made at a fashionable dinner party in London, demonstrate that the World Jewish Congress was correct when it asserted that anti-Semitism is no longer considered unacceptable in European polite society. European governments must demonstrate that such attitudes are simply not acceptable.

In the years before World War II, the fabric of European society was torn apart by the official anti-Semitism of Nazi Germany and its puppet governments in France,
Austria, Poland and elsewhere.

Now, more than 60 years later, European governments are once again doing little to discourage intolerance and hatred directed at Jews and other minority groups. When their rights are trampled upon, European governments must step up and act in order to protect all citizens. The failure to properly condemn and control these attacks makes the governments of Europe complicit in them.

Before I close, I would like to thank a number of groups for their work in support of this resolution, particularly the Orthodox Union, the National Council of Soviet Jewry, NORPAC, and Harriet Mandel and her colleagues in the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York.

I would also like to thank the ranking member and the chairman of the committee, as well as the chair of the subcommittee, who waived the rules to allow this to come to the floor.

I want to thank the Speaker of the House for bringing this important resolution to us today. But most especially, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my fellow colleague from New York (Mr. Gilman), chairman emeritus of the Committee on International Relations, for all of his hard work throughout the years, especially on issues pertaining to the Middle East and whose Jewish constituents as well as all of the constituents that he represents in New York, and all of New York.

I would say to the gentleman that we are greatly going to miss the gentleman when he retires from the House of Representatives. I know that many people will speak the gentleman's praises in days to come, but I want to tell the gentleman what a great honor it has been to serve with the gentleman on this floor.

Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley), not only for his kind words, but for his leadership in bringing this measure to the floor, working out all of the compromises that were needed in order to make this important measure possible. I thank the gentleman for his hard work on this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella), who has been a staunch supporter of human rights throughout the world and especially in fighting anti-Semitism.

Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 393, expressing concern about the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe. I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) for yielding me this time.

I echo and associate myself with the comments of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) with regard to the wonderful service the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) has provided and the deep commitment he has demonstrated and the deep friendship he has had for us on both sides of the aisle. I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) for introducing this legislation. I also want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), as well as the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) and the others who have helped to bring this very important resolution to the floor today.

As Americans, we value our diversity, and we celebrate our unity. I hope that this resolution will remind European leaders that ignoring the practice of hatred is as if condoning it.

Anti-Semitism is one of the oldest forms of hatred and it is, unfortunately, experiencing a resurgence, crossing boundaries of every type, geographical, national, political, religious and cultural. We see it in the proliferation of anti-Jewish media expressing vicious stereotyping, conspiracy theories, and even denial of the Holocaust. Its messages of hate have influenced Muslim immigrants in France to commit daily anti-Jewish acts and have overpowered the Conference on Racism in Durban with anti-Israel, anti-Zionist, anti-Jewish resolutions and statements.

Not even 60 years have passed since the murder of 6 million Jews in the Holocaust, and once again, we see anti-Semitism coming back strongly in Europe. This time it is fueled by anti-Semitic campaigns being spread throughout the Arab world and spilling over through some immigrants and the new media into France, England, Belgium and other countries.

Daily attacks on Jews and their institutions are taking place in France while the government looks the other way. Leading French media are filled with stories slanted against Israel, further heating up a climate in which leadership of the Jewish community is virtually alone, fighting anti-Semitic attacks.

European leaders have continually avoided condemning the tactic of suicide bombing in Israel, which lends support to the acts of hatred against Jews in their own nations. Our message to them is clear: Join the United States in working toward an agreement in the Middle East that will lead to peace with security and independence for Israelis and Palestinians.

Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella) for her poignant remarks in support of this resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey), my distinguished colleague.

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 393, which denounces the rise in anti-Semitism in Europe. This Congress must condemn these and any violent acts that are hurting families and communities, both here and abroad.

According to an annual study by a Tel Aviv university, anti-Semitic acts rose sharply around the world after the September 11 attacks. The study reveals some of the worst anti-Semitic days since the end of World War II. Another recent survey revealed that 30 percent of Europeans harbored traditional anti-Semitic stereotypes. Congress must condemn these acts by passing H. Res. 393.

But, Mr. Speaker, we must also make it a top priority to stop hate in our own country. Anti-Semitism is not limited to Europe. The Anti-Defamation League reported that this year, here in the United States, anti-Jewish incidents have increased 11 percent.

Congress must make it clear that there is no room for personal attacks and bigotry in America. That is why we need to pass H. Res. 393 and the bill of the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers), H.R. 1343, The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, to help prosecute and prevent crimes motivated by hate across our own Nation.

The people of the United States must set an example for the world by expressing our differences without resorting to violence against our neighbors. In the United States, freedom of speech is a fundamental right, a right to be used for causes that citizens are passionate over, but not for causes that damage another's right to a different opinion, a different religion, a different lifestyle.

This Congress has the responsibility to combat unnecessary hatred and to lead the charge. Together we can make a statement by passing H. Res. 393, condemning anti-Semitism.

Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cardin), my good friend and distinguished colleague.

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, first, let me thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) for his entire career of fighting prejudice and bias wherever it can be found in our communities.

I also want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman). The gentleman will be deeply missed in this body. We thank him for his leadership on behalf of all of the people of this Nation.

I want to thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), my good friend, for his leadership in the Helsinki process. He took this resolution to Europe and we were able to get unanimous support among our fellow parliamentarians to speak out and develop an action plan against anti-Semitism.

I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) for bringing this resolution forward; I thank him on behalf of all of us for stating what I would hope would be unanimously supported by this body.

There is no question that anti-Semitic activities are on the increase in every state in Europe. We need to do more than just speak out; we need to develop an action plan, and that is what we were successful in getting in our visit on the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly during this past weekend. We have developed an action plan and will continue to monitor it to make it clear that international events cannot be used to justify anti-Semitic activities; that we need to work with the leadership, not just among parliamentarians, but the leadership in our communities from church groups and from educators. We have to work with children in our schools, and we have to deal with property restitution issues to make sure that people are fairly compensated for property that was wrongfully taken.

In short, Mr. Speaker, we need a total plan to make sure the world understands that we will not tolerate anti-Semitic activities, period, the end.

So I very much applaud the efforts on this resolution. It is important that this body speaks out, but it is also important that we follow it with action in all of the areas that we have mentioned.

Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I just want to thank the gentleman from Maryland for his kind words, but most important, for his willingness to go to Berlin, along with the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) and to bring this resolution to their attention. We thank him for his efforts.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Hoeffel), my good friend, an indefatigable fighter for human rights in all of its manifestations.

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time and for his kind remarks, and also for his many years of leadership on this issue.

Also, I want to salute the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) for a career that we should all emulate and follow in terms of human rights and for justice around the world.

I want to compliment the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) for bringing this resolution to the floor, denouncing anti-Semitism wherever it is found in Europe or this country.

I certainly want to acknowledge, as others have, the great leadership of the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), who led our delegation this past weekend to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

I want to share a little with my colleagues the work led by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) and joined by all of the American delegates. We were proud to do so, in bringing this challenge of anti-Semitism and the need to denounce anti-Semitism to the OSCE and, hopefully, to all of the governments of Europe. We made an historic effort, through the leadership of the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) leading the American delegation and the leadership of Dr. Gert Weisskirchen, a German parliamentarian and the leader of his delegation, in a joint delegation assembly to talk about the evils of anti-Semitism, to bring forward four experts to talk to all of us about the need to speak out and denounce anti-Semitism. This was the first time that the American delegation and the German delegation had ever met in a separate event, invited the press in, invited experts in to talk to us.

I wish, I say to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cardin), I wish all of our colleagues could have heard what we heard from Abraham Foxman, the executive director of the Anti-Defamation League, in which he talked about the need to speak out to denounce anti-Semitism. He talked about the events in Germany recently, where after a number of events aimed against Jews, just for being Jews, the official advice to the Jewish community in Germany is to stop wearing visible signs of their faith.

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Walden of Oregon). The time of the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) has expired.

Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Hoeffel.)

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) very kindly.

I simply want to say, what kind of advice is that? How can anybody say, "avoid wearing visible signs of your faith," as if that is the way to deal with the hatred that is being directed against Jews in Germany and across Europe? The way to deal with it, as Mr. Foxman pointed out, is to speak out, to speak out loudly, to denounce it, to make sure that everybody knows how unacceptable that hatred and intolerance is.

We will win this victory if we step forward, and if people around the world step forward and say that anti-Semitism is un-American, that it is un-German, that it is un-French, that it is un-Ukrainian, that it is against the basic principles of a civilized people wherever it happens around the world.

Mr. Speaker, that is the fight we are joining. That is what the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) has done for 20-some years, and that is what the whole career of the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) has been about. That is what my friend, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) is fighting for today, and I am honored to join my colleagues in that fight.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that each side be granted an additional 3 minutes.

Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 additional minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos).

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from California will control 3 additional minutes.

There was no objection.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

It is literally unthinkable that just 50 years after the Holocaust this body should be compelled to take up this issue. It speaks very poorly of the educational process that has unfolded in Europe in the last two generations, that this most ancient hatred, based on prejudice and ignorance, should again be sweeping the continent.

Several strains provide a confluence as to why they are up against this problem today. The first and perhaps most important one is the old church-based anti-Semitism. Churches have been guilty for centuries of fomenting anti-Semitism; and while some voices have spoken for acceptance and tolerance, important segments of the churches have contributed to the continuation of this sickening spectacle of religious hate.

We also see the upsurge of skinhead and neo-Nazi movements of direct followers of what was the dominant theme in Germany in the 1930's and early 40's. The skinhead and neo-Nazi component of this new wave of anti-Semitism must be fought by all European governments.

We have a new element. The extremist Islamic and Arab populations of Europe are contributing powerfully to anti-Semitism, and it is incumbent upon the governments of Europe to fight these forces.

Finally, the perpetually misguided European left must recognize that its values and priorities are all upside down. They view the small State of Israel, a victim of a wave of suicide bombers and terrorist activities, as the aggressive Goliath. The time is long overdue for the misguided European left to wake up and recognize the realities of the Middle East situation.

These are the four strains: church-based anti-Semitism; neo-Nazi skinhead anti-Semitism; the anti-Semitism emanating from the Muslim and Arab population in Europe; and, finally, the misguided European left which mistakes the victim for the aggressor. This is a gigantic task that all men and women in Europe of goodwill and decency must unite to defeat.

I urge all of my colleagues to vote for this resolution as an expression of the conscience of this body and the American people.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I want to thank my colleagues, especially the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley), the sponsor of this important measure, and for his participation in the debate, as well as the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), ranking member of our committee, for his eloquent remarks. And I hope that the European governments to whom this resolution is addressed will review the content of our debate today and draw the appropriate conclusions and, more importantly, take the required actions to stop the flow of anti-Semitism throughout Europe.

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Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 393.

For months, vicious attacks against Jews across Europe have continued almost on a daily basis. It has been an issue of such great concern to me that last month I sent a letter signed by 140 of my colleagues urging EU Secretary-General Javier Solana to take action against this dangerous trend.

In France, Jewish organizations recorded more than 300 anti-Semitic attacks in the month of April alone. Jewish cemeteries have been desecrated, Jewish children have been verbally and physically assaulted on playgrounds and soccer fields, and Jewish institutions have been firebombed and vandalized. In February, yellow stars of David were painted on Jewish shop windows in Paris. In March, there was a drive-by shooting of a kosher butcher shop near Toulouse. And, in the middle of Passover, the Or Aviv Synagogue in Marseilles was burned to the ground.

In Belgium, the seat of the European Union, Rabbis and community leaders have been assaulted, as have synagogue worshipers, on their way to and from services.

In England, dozens of threats and physical assaults on Jews have been reported in recent months, and in April, a vicious attack on a suburban London synagogue left windows smashed, religious artifacts defaced, and crude swastikas painted everywhere.

The situation has only been made worse by the failure of these countries to forcefully condemn these hate crimes and vigorously prosecute their perpetrators.

European leaders, including EU representatives, have dismissed the severity of the problem, blaming the Middle East conflict and Muslim demographics instead of the Arab and European media outlets that have fed their fervor by demonizing Jews and justifying suicide murders by Palestinian terrorists.

The European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms espouses the basic rights of all Europeans to liberty, security, freedom of religion, and freedom from discrimination. Yet, no EU institution has made any effort to uphold these rights for Jewish minorities.

It is time for the European nations to take a bold unified stance condemning the re-emergence of anti-Semitism in Europe.

It is time for the United Nations to take action and reverse the virulent wave of anti-Semitic attacks unleashed last year at the U.N. Conference on Racism, where delegates sought to equate Zionism and racism and insisted that the Holocaust be written with a lower case "h" to lessen the magnitude of the tragedy.

Hasn't the horror of World War II taught us the danger of anti-Semitism, which seeks to dehumanize Jews and make them legitimate targets for violence? Hasn't the abomination of suicide murder shown us what happens when hatred devalues human life to create targets for terrorism?

The United States and all civilized nations just not be silent in the face of these threats. We must lead the fight to condemn anti-Semitism in Europe, the former Soviet Union, and everyplace it emerges.

I urge all of my colleagues to support H. Res. 393.

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join over 70 of my House colleagues in cosponsoring H. Res. 393, a resolution condemning the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe. The disturbing trend of hatred, intolerance and cruelty on the continent of Europe demands our immediate attention and action.

We are all aware of the horrors faced by Jewish people in Europe a little more than a half century ago. For this reason, we must keep Europe's troubled history in mind and scrutinize the numerous anti-Semitic attacks on Jews in Europe over the last 18 months before these sentiments are allowed to escalate to more disturbing levels. It is wise not to ignore history for fear of being doomed to repeat it.

Of the many despicable attacks that have occurred over the past 18 months, I would like to single out the brutal beating in Berlin, Germany of two Yeshiva students from my home state of New Jersey. These students traveled to Germany in the youthful pursuit of an education and the desire to exchange ideas with another culture. They did not envision being singled out for their religion and brutally beaten by bigoted thugs. We must not ignore this event and the many that have signaled a rise in anti-Semitism across the European continent.

We are at the birth of a new and uncertain century. Unfortunately, we have already seen a rise in narrow-mined hatred, evidenced by the horrific terror attacks on our Nation on September 11th. As a freethinking and compassionate people, we must insist that our allies follow the American ideals of tolerance and understanding. At the very least, we must speak out to protect the basic human rights of people who face persecution based on their religion. Therefore, I urge our European allies to draw their attention to the rise in anti-Semitism on their continent and take whatever steps necessary to curb this disturbing trend.

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 393, and would like first of all to thank my colleague from New York, Mr. CROWLEY for his initiative in bringing this important resolution to the attention of the House. I also want to thank Chairman HYDE and Ranking Member LANTOS for their support of Mr. CROWLEY's resolution.

Mr. Speaker, every year the House considers a great number of resolutions on a vast array of topics. I'd like to suggest that the resolution under consideration right now is the perfect example of what a House resolution ought to be.

H. Res. 393 is concise, timely, and most of all, important. The topic under debate today is the resurgence of a form of hatefulness that we all hoped would never again emerge in Europe. Anti-Semitism has a long and unfortunate history in Europe and its re-emergence in the past few months should serve not only as a warning that hatred and bigotry are always lurking in the margins of society, but also as a call to arms.

Mr. Speaker, on September 11, 2001, our Nation and my city of New York especially, were attacked by the forces of ignorance and intolerance, the forces of hatred and exclusion, the forces of irrationality and brutality. The spirit which animated the men who attacked our Nation is the same as that which motivates the anti-Semitism of the past, the present and, we may expect, of the future as well.

Pathological intolerance is nothing new, but it has, unfortunately, through technology, acquired new tools capable of wreaking massive violence and havoc. In the 1940s, the resources of an entire nation were put to the task of annihilating Europe's Jews. Today, unfortunately we see their spiritual descendants using different tools: car bombs, gas cylinders, light boats and even airplanes. But the mission of hate is the same and the results just as ghastly.

Today, Europe is again facing a tide of hatred against Jews. Again we see Europe's synagogues being defiled, burned and vandalized, again we see Europe's Jews being attacked in the streets, and most disconcerting of all, again we see Europe's governments telling us not to worry, that everything will be all right, that this is a passing phase, that this is the work of a disaffected few.

Mr. Speaker, I don't buy that. And more importantly, today, in passing this vital resolution, the entire Congress is refusing to accept Europe's invitation to acquiescence and passivity.

Historically in Europe, Mr. Speaker, Jews have been the proverbial "canary in the coal mine," the group whose welfare, acceptance and safety can be seen as a gauge for the security of all religious and ethnic minorities. And today, Europe's Jews are again in jeopardy. How we confront this awful reality is the test of the pledge our Nation made upon discovery of Hitler's extermination camps in 1945: Never again.

Today, with the adoption of this critical resolution demanding that European nations live up to their responsibilities for the protection of all their citizens, I am proud to say we are living up to that great historical commitment. Again, I want to commend Mr. CROWLEY for authoring this resolution, and strongly urge its passage by the House.

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution.

The statue of Alfred Dreyfus that stands in Paris had the words "dirty Jew" painted on it earlier this year.

Dreyfus was a Jewish Captain in the French army before he was sent to jail on trumped-up charges and fabricated evidence. He served eleven years and survived several attempted cover-ups by the French military before his innocence was universally recognized. He was finally released in 1906.

To many people, including the father of Modern Zionism Theodore Herzl, Dreyfus is the symbol of the persecuted Jew and anti-Semitism.

For all those who remember history, the fact that this statue was the target of anti-Semitism in today's France is horribly disturbing. Unfortunately, France is not alone. Belgium, Britain, Italy, Germany, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Greece have all experienced anti-Semitic incidents since the upswing in anti-Semitism began.

In Germany, police have warned Jews that wearing yarmulkas, the traditional Jewish head coverings, could cause them to be targets of attacks.

Last April, the Simon Wiesenthal Center released its first ever travel advisory, urging Jews to exercise caution when traveling to France or Belgium.

It has been only sixty years since the defeat of Hitler and now swastikas have reappeared in Europe. They can be found sprayed on Jewish schools, drawn on gravestones in a desecrated Jewish cemetery, painted on the wall of a synagogue, stitched on the flags of anti-Israel demonstrators, and in the hearts and minds of the people who attack rabbinical students and Jewish athletes.

The governments of Europe must protect their citizens. They must work actively to stop the increase in anti-Semitic incidents, and denounce anti-Semitic remarks thinly veiled as anti-Israel. Only then can progress be made toward the true goal: an atmosphere of cooperation and reconciliation among the Jewish and non-Jewish citizens of Europe.

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Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Pence). The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 393, as amended.

The question was taken.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of those present have voted in the affirmative.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

The yeas and nays were ordered.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be postponed.