Politics

Jerusalem 28-30 May 2013
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry for Jerusalem and Diaspora Affairs are holding
the 4th International Conference of the Global Forum for Combating Antisemitism on 28-30
May 2013. The delegates are convening to discuss ways of combating the different manifestations
of current Antisemitism at a 3-day conference in Jerusalem. This conference serves as a followup mechanism to previous conferences, and aims at discussing, through 10 different Working Groups, viable models for facing the global challenge of Antisemitism, and coming up with a
practical Action Plan.
The Conference Webpage:
http://mfa.gov.il/MFA/AboutTheMinistry/Conferences-Seminars/Pages/GFCA_4th_International_
Conference_May_2013.aspx
The Conference will also have a live link for viewing its videoed Plenary Session deliberations and
speeches:
http://bcove.me/qcugyuts
Link to Conference Photos: http://tinyurl.com/GFCA2013
Follow #GFCA2013 on twitter for live updates from the conference.
Venue of the Conference: Ramada Jerusalem Hotel
Ruppin Bridge at Herzl Boulevard, Jerusalem.
Tel: (972-2) 659-9999 Fax: (972-2) 651-1824. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: +972-2-6599923
The agenda of the conference is as follows:
Tuesday, 28th May 2013 – Official Opening
16:00 onwards - Gathering and registration
18:00-20:00 Opening Ceremony – Hosts: Mr. Zeev Elkin, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Mr. Naftali Bennett, Minister for Jerusalem and Diaspora Affairs
•
A video message by Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister, Israel.
Greeting speeches by:
•
Mr. Alan Shatter, Minister for Justice, Equality and Defense, Ireland – EU Presidency for
2013.
•
Mr. Neris Germanas, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania.
•
Mr. Konstantinos Karagounis, Deputy Minister of Justice, Transparency & Human Rights,
Greece.
•
Mr. Bence Retvari, Secretary of State, Ministry of Public Administration and Justice, Hungary.
•
Dr. Mario Silva, Chairman of the IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance)
for the year 2013 on behalf of Canada.
Conference Chair: Ambassador Gideon Behar
20:00-22:00 Official Cocktail Gala evening
Wednesday, 29th May 2013 – Working groups meetings
8:00 onwards - Continuation of registration.
On this day the participants will meet in 10 different rooms, according to the Working Group they
registered to, and will help formulate 10 Action Plans to Combat Antisemitism, under the leadership
of the WG Co-Chairs.
9:00-10:30 First working session of the different working groups
10:30-11:00 Coffee break
11:00-12:30 Second working session of the different working groups
12:30-14:00 Light lunch sandwiches, at The Dining Hall, LL floor.
14:00-15:30 Third and last working session of the different working groups
15:30-16:00 Coffee break
16:00-17:00 Plenary Panel of the Inter-Parliamentary Coalition for Combating Antisemitism (ICCA)
Task Force
Opening remarks - Ms. Fiamma Nirenstein
Panelists: MP John Mann (UK)
Mr. Robert Trestan.
Moderator: Mr. Christopher Wolf, Co-Chair of the task force.
17:15-19:15 Optional tour of Jerusalem (for those who pre-registered).
19:30-21:30 Dinner and Speeches by:
•
Mr. Nikolay Mladenov, Former Foreign Minister of Bulgaria.
•
Dr. Alexander Vondra , Former Minister of Defense of the Czech Republic.
Host: Amb. Ran Curiel, Political Director, Senior Deputy Director General, MFA.
Thursday, 30th May 2013 - Plenary
8:00 -onwards - Continuation of late registrations
9:00-10:00 Plenary Panel with Muslim Religious Leaders –
Mufti Gazmend Aga, Deputy Chief Mufti of Muslim Community (Albania)
Mufti Dr. Abduljalil Sajid, Brighton Islamic Mission (UK)
Imam Hassan Shalguomy, (France)
Mr. Genti Kruja, Director of the Interfaith Dialogue Dep., the Muslim Community (Albania)
Moderator: Mr. Jeremy Jones, Director of Int. and of Community Affairs for the Australia/Israel &
Jewish Affairs Council.
10:00-11:00 Presentation of Action Plans before the Plenary by respective WG Co-Chairs:
Moderator: Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Associate Dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center

•Antisemitism in the Guise of Delegitimization and Anti-Zionism.
•
Antisemitism in the Internet and in the Media
•
Antisemitism on Campuses and Education for Tolerance and Mutual Respect.
15 minutes for each presenter + 10 minutes of general discussion.
11:00-11:30 Coffee Break
11:30-13:00 Presentation of Action Plans before the Plenary by respective WG Co-Chairs:
Moderator: Mr. Daniel S. Mariaschin, Executive Vice President of B'Nai B'rith International
•
Antisemitism in the Muslim and Arab World 8
•
Antisemitism in Latin America
•
Antisemitism in the Former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe region
•
Antisemitism in the EU and Western Europe region
15 minutes, for each presenter + 15 minutes of general discussion.
13:00-14:15 Lunch at Dining Hall (LL floor), with Lectures by:
•
Mr. Abraham H. Foxman, National Director of the Anti-Defamation League

•
Mr. Avner Shalev, Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate
14:30-15:00 Plenary – Speech by Knesset Speaker, Mr. Yuli (Yoel) Edelstein
(guests are kindly requested to come up to the Plenary hall and be seated
By 14:25, in time for the Knesset Speaker entry).
15:00-15:30 Plenary - Lecture by Prof. Yehuda Bauer: "Why Antisemitism?"
Moderator: Rabbi Andrew Baker, Personal Representative of the OSCE Chair-in-Office on Combating
Anti-Semitism, and AJC Director of Int. Jewish Affairs
15:30-16:00 Coffee Break
16:00-17:00 Presentation of Action Plans before the Plenary by respective WG Co-Chairs:
Moderator: Mr. Robert Singer, CEO and Executive Vice President of The World Jewish Congress
•
Law, Legislation and Enforcement in Combating Antisemitism
•
Inter Faith Dialogue as an instrument to mitigate Antisemitism
•
Maintaining continuance of Diaspora Jewish Life (Kosher slaughter; Circumcision etc.)
15 minutes for each presenter + 10 minutes of general discussion.
17:00-18:00 Closing event (at the Plenary Hall) -
•
Presentation of Steering Group Paper – Mr. David Matas, B'nai Brith.
•
Summary of the Conference – Amb. Gideon Meir – Director General for Public Diplomacy,
MFA.
•
Awards Giving to the Conference Co-Chairs
•
Closing remarks - Heads of Session - Amb. Shmuel Ben-Shmuel and Amb. Gideon Behar
18:00-19:30 Farewell Cocktail
•
Amb. Rafael Barak, Director General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Closing speech

The 10 Working Groups – Co-Chairs and rooms allocation:

1. Antisemitism in the Muslim and Arab World
•
Co-Chairs: Dr. Boaz Ganor and Mr. Itamar Marcus
Room A1
2. Antisemitism in Latin America
•
Co-Chairs: Mr. Sammy Eppel and Mr. Sergio Widder
Tamar Room
3. Antisemitism in the Former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe region
•
Co-Chairs: Ms. Lesley Weiss and Dr. Tomas Kraus
Room A2
4. Antisemitism in the EU and Western Europe region
•
Co-Chairs: Mr. Mike Whine and Mr. Marc Knobel
Room B
5. Antisemitism in the Guise of Delegitimization and Anti-Zionism
•
Co-Chairs: Dr. Mitchell Bard and Dr. Pascal Markowicz
Room 'Queen of Sheba'
6. Antisemitism in the Internet and in the Media
•
Co-Chairs: Mr. David Matas and Dr. Andre Oboler
Room C
7. Law, Legislation and Enforcement in Combating Antisemitism
•
Co-Chairs: Prof. Dina Porat, Adv. Talia Naama and Mr. Michael A. Salberg
Michal Room (down the elevator to LL floor)
8. Inter Faith Dialogue as an instrument to mitigate Antisemitism
•
Co-Chairs: Ms. Anne-Marie Revcolevschi and Mufti Dr. Abduljalil Sajid
Delila Room (down the elevator to LL floor)
9. Maintaining continuance of Diaspora Jewish Life (Kosher slaughter; Circumcision etc.)
•
Co-Chairs: Dr. Dov Maimon and Mr. Philip Carmel
Amos Room (up the elevator to OF floor)
10. Antisemitism on Campuses and Education for Tolerance and Mutual Respect
•
Co-Chairs: Dr. Charles Asher Small, Prof. Shmuel Trigano and Ms. Michelle Whiteman
Amnon Room

Missions Statements for the 10 Conference
Working Groups (as written by the co-chairs)
1. Mission Statement of the Working Group on Antisemitism in the Muslim
and Arab World
Co-Chairs: Dr. Boaz Ganor and Mr. Itamar Marcus
Arab and Muslim Antisemitism is growing and having a major impact on the Palestinian Authority,
in Arab-Muslim countries and in the West. As a result of large-scale immigration that is changing the
makeup of Europe, and through the widespread dissemination of hate messages by satellite TV and
internet, Arab-Muslim Antisemitism is having an effect beyond the Middle East. Arab communities
outside the Middle East are echoing the hate speech of radical Islam.
The hate messages of this Antisemitism are many and varied. Some of them are based on various
classical sources from Islam that depict Jews as cursed by Allah, descendants of monkeys and pigs and
destined for genocide. According to this Islamic-based Antisemitism, Jews at best are protected and
must submit to Muslims, and at worst must all be killed to bring the “hour” of resurrection. Hating,
fighting and killing Jews can be perceived as worship of Allah.
Other Arab – Muslim Antisemitism focuses on demonizing Jews because of so-called Israeli oppression
of Palestinians. Jews all over the world are included in the collective blame for Israel's behavior. This
often includes the attribution of demonic and evil acts to Israel, just as Jews were accused throughout
history of poisoning wells and using blood for Matzah. Often the same people will quote both the
Islamic-based and nationalistic-based hate speech.
Counter force
Alongside the Muslims who are screaming, “Kill the Jews,” however, is a small but increasingly
vocal number of Muslims who are rejecting this hate speech. Muslims who themselves were brought
up on the hate messages and were themselves disseminating them in the past have now rejected the
hate speech and are rallying and speaking on behalf of Israel and Jews. These are the voices from the
inside that must be tapped to seek the way to confront the current wave of Arab-Muslim Antisemitism.
The Working Group will have three sessions:
Working Group Session 1:
1. Analysis of the messages of today’s Arab and Muslim Antisemitism, with focus on both Palestinian
Antisemitism and global Islamic Antisemitism. This first part will include the presentation of texts,
videos, cartoons, educational materials, etc. This group will feature two speakers. One will present
Palestinian Antisemitism and the other the global fundamentalist Islamic arena.
Working Group Session 2:
2. The second part will be built around Muslims who have experienced indoctrination to Antisemitism
hatred. The presenters will be people who were brought up on this hate speech as Muslims, and at a
certain point in their lives rejected it. They will explain the processes and education that inculcated
them with a hatred they believed to be justified. They will describe the environment that fomented
the hatred of Jews they personally experienced, and how it influenced them. 11
Next, they will explain what happened in their lives that made them reject the hatred. Finally, they
will recommend what steps need to be taken to fight the Antisemitism that they know from the inside.
Muslims from the PA, the Middle East and Western countries will be invited to offer their insight
based on their personal experiences as they relate to Palestinian and global Islamic Antisemitism.
Working Group Session 3:
3. The third working group will be a discussion among all the workshop participants and speakers to
examine ways to deal with the phenomena that have been described in the first two sessions. There
will be an attempt to synthesize the information to create a clear picture of the following:
1- Identify and categorize the different hate messages of Muslim-Arab Antisemitism among the
PA, Arab-Muslim countries and Muslims in the West.
2- Identify the means of dissemination of the different messages, especially to youth, in both the
closed and more open environments.
3- Build mechanisms to expose, counter and undermine the means of dissemination of Antisemitism
in the Palestinian Authority and in Western countries.
4- Create an international public mechanism for exposing and publicly delegitimizing the hate
speech that is expressed in Middle Eastern countries and that cannot be fought from the inside.
The goal would be to formulate recommendations to reduce the scope of the Antisemitism and
neutralize its influence.
The goal is that the working group will produce a paper that defines the nature of Muslim-Arab
Antisemitism, describes its means of transmission and creates a concrete plan to combat it, including
combating the means of transmission.
2. Mission Statement of the Working Group on Antisemitism Working Group on Antisemitism in Latin America
Co-Chairs: Mr. Sammy Eppel and Mr. Sergio Widder
Rationale
The “new” or “renewed” antisemitism has found diverse ways to emerge in Latin America, and
is expressed both at governmental and at civil society levels. Among others axes, this “renewed”
antisemitism refers to updated accusations of “deicide”, “global conspiracy”, “blood libel”, as well as
delegitimation of Israel, distortion or denial of the Holocaust, “Nazification” of Jews and Israel, and
accusations against Israel of being an “apartheid State that should be diluted”.
The strategies to strengthen these antisemitic attacks include political, diplomatic and legal proposals,
aimed at isolating Israel. This trend is currently “main stream”, and so such antisemitism, aimed at
isolating and, ultimately, promote Israel’s dilution or destruction, has become “politically correct”.
Among the civil society main initiatives is the “BDS” movement, which promotes “boycott, divestment
and sanctions” against the Jewish State. This movement is silently growing in the region, especially
through social networks that call for boycott against Israeli goods, and also through calls to cancel the
free trade agreement between Israel and the South American Common Market.
We can identify two main axes which currently encourage antisemitism in Latin America: a) the growing
Iranian presence and influence; b) the echoes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the Palestinian
Unilateral Initiative, resulting in a wave of recognitions of a Palestinian State which strengthened the
Palestinian presentation at the UN.
Regarding Iran, among its interests in the region are to counter isolation, to increase commercial ties,
to send “missionaries”, acquire mineral resources, and eventually access nuclear technology.
At a governmental level, the countries of the so-called “ALBA” (“Bolivarian Alternative for the
Americas”) bloc have become the main vector to facilitate the Iranian presence in the region. Other
countries have also expressed their interest to reach the Iranian market, thus opening the door for closer
political ties. Iran also opened a state TV channel in Spanish which reaches the region via Internet as
well as via the Venezuelan-based Telesur regional network.
In the case of the Palestinian initiative, the support was not limited to ALBA countries, but also
comprised most of the region.
At the civil society level, the radical World Social Forum (which held a special edition dedicated to
the Palestinians in November, 2012) as well as grassroots “social movements” have become good
allies for both, Iranians and Palestinians, as they all share the “struggle against imperialism”. These
groups are the main advocates for BDS initiatives. They also constitute a powerful lobbying coalition
against Israel.
Nevertheless, a good signal is that fastest growing religious force in the continent is Evangelical (in
its diverse forms), an important ally. No effort should be spared in building coalitions with groups that
are willing to join the defense of Israel and the Jews.
Goals
The purpose of the working group on “Antisemitism in Latin America” is to address current trends in
the antisemitic discourse and practices in the region, especially in reference to the disguise of ordinary
anti-Jewish actions as “anti-Israeli” / “anti-Zionist”. The group will discuss actual cases and try to
outline proposals for best practices in terms of prevention. We will pay particular attention to initiatives
connected to the BDS movement.
Expectations
We aim to overseeing the current situation of antisemitism in Latin America, have the opportunity to
present diverse national cases and identify the main regional threats and challenges. As outcome of the
deliberations, we expect to elaborate a series of guidelines for action, which might help communities
to better confront, prevent and contain antisemitism in the region.
3. Mission Statement of the Working Group on Antisemitism in the Former
Soviet Union and Eastern Europe Region
Co-Chairs: Ms. Lesley Weiss and Dr. Tomas Kraus
Rationale
While state-sponsored anti-Semitism is virtually non-existent in the former Soviet Union (FSU) region,
“traditional” anti-Semitism, rooted in history and popular anti-Semitic stereotypes, remains an issue
of concern.
In the CIS, manifestations of popular antisemitism, such as desecration of Jewish cemeteries and
memorials, antisemitic graffiti and attacks on Jewish institutions continue. Skinheads and neo-Nazi 13
groups that target ethnic minorities and advocate racial and religious hatred are active. While violent
attacks motivated by xenophobia and racism are directed mainly at natives of Central Asia, Caucuses
and Africa, antisemitism remains a part of extremist ideology.
In the Baltic states, on-going restitution efforts and issues of national identity spur anti-Semitic
sentiments, hate speech and historical revisionism.
In Eastern Europe, radical right wing and extremist political parties remain popular, and support for
some, such as Svoboda in Ukraine, is growing.
There is inconsistency in local governments’ condemnation of incidents of antisemitism and incitements
to racial, ethnic or religious hatred. In many FSU countries, hate crime legislation is inadequate and
its enforcement is not consistent. The weak rule of law and pervasive corruption in these countries
hinders implementation of such legislation.
In view of these recurring problems, governments and NGOs need to work together to ensure greater
education of the general population about xenophobia and antisemitism.
Governments of the FSU need to develop better mechanisms to confront extremists’ political messages.
Condemnation of antisemitic sentiments and incitements to ethnic or racial hatred needs to be consistent
and timely.
Appropriate hate crime legislation needs to be developed further and mechanisms of its enfenforcement
improved.
Goals
The Working Group will discuss ways to promote coalition building across international, regional and
local organizations, and practical steps to engage governments and civil society to improve education
about antisemitism, develop mechanisms to confront extremism and enhance hate crime legislation
and its enforcement.
Expectations
The Working Group members will be asked to provide their input on antisemitic trends in the FSU
and Eastern Europe. Participants will share strategies undertaken by their organizations to combat
antisemitism in their respective countries. Specific examples of coalition building and engagement
with local governments and civil society will be discussed, and mechanisms for future action will be
developed.
4. Mission Statement of the Working Group on Antisemitism in the EU and
Western Europe
Co-Chairs: Mr. Mike Whine and Mr. Marc Knobel
The members of the Working Group are subject experts working for, and representatives of, the
communities of Western Europe. We are variously employed to monitor and combat antisemitism, or
are elected lay leaders with this focus.
Through written and oral presentations on antisemitism facing the major communities, and by shorter
interventions by those from smaller communities, we shall examine the state of antisemitism in the
region and collaborate towards producing some plans for our communities’ national and regional
responses.

Our professional experience persuades us that discussion and a focus on practical and realisable
responses will allow our communities to better recognise the similarities and differences that exist,
and encourage our communities to respond effectively.
Sixty five years after the defeat of Nazism Jewish communities in Western Europe are again faced
with a rise in antisemitism
Opinion polling suggests that Jews are still frequently regarded as ‘the other’ or different by many in
Western Europe. However, contemporary antisemitism comes from a multiplicity of sources including:
the residue of Christian anti Jewish theology, non state actors such as Muslim Brotherhood and Global
Jihad networks and affiliates, other Islamists, the malign influence of the anti Zionist left, the far right
and ultra nationalism.
All too often, anti Israel propaganda serves as cloak for antisemitic attitudes.
European governments have become increasingly aware that antisemitism, and terrorism, threaten
their Jewish citizens and their communities; some have acted to combat these threats and recognise
their responsibilities towards their Jewish citizens. Others have been less responsive, or have yet to
take effective protective action.
Jewish communities now require police protection to prevent terrorist attacks against their institutions,
and all too often Jewish communities are left to bear the financial burden of paying for their physical
needs. As citizens of their countries, Jews have the right to have their physical security needs met by
the state.
The inter governmental agencies, the Council of Europe, the European Commission and the OSCE
Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, reflect these concerns and have put in place
agreements to record and analyse these threats, which are rightly seen as threats to community cohesion
and democracy.
Despite their concern however too many states fail to monitor antisemitism, despite being required
to do so as a result of accords reached by the European Union and the OSCE. Without reliable data,
neither national governments nor the international government organisations can analyse the occurrence
or other important characteristics of contemporary antisemitism, and propose remedies.
Accordingly, the Mission of the Working Group is to:
•
analyse the nature of contemporary antisemitism and the directions from which it comes.
•
assist Jewish communities and their leaderships to engage with their governments and law
enforcement agencies in a sustained and effective manner.
•
publicise these efforts within their communities, and to the wider world.
5. Mission Statement for the Working Group on Antisemitism in the Guise of
Delegitimization and Anti-Zionism
Co-Chairs: Dr. Mitchell Bard and Dr. Pascal Markowicz
Rationale
The effort to delegitimize Israel has been ongoing since the rebirth of the state. In fact, the Arab
boycott began even before Israel became independent. The campaign gained momentum and has
become more dangerous since the Durban Conference which laid out a strategy promoting “a policy 15
of complete and total isolation of Israel . . . the imposition of mandatory and comprehensive sanctions
and embargoes, the full cessation of all links (diplomatic, economic, social, aid, military cooperation
and training) between all states and Israel.” We now see the campaign manifesting itself in a variety
of ways, including efforts to mobilize boycotts of Israeli universities, to discourage artists, musicians
and others from the world of culture from visiting and performing in Israel, to prevent sporting events
and Israeli participation in international competitions, to convince universities, trade unions, churches
and others to divest from Israeli companies and/or domestic companies doing business with Israel,
and to isolate Israel in international forums.
Goals
This task force aims to break down the various types of delegitimization campaigns, to identify existing
resources combating them, to show the link between anti-Semitism and delegitimization of Israel, to
determine where overlaps occur and efforts can be merged, and what new legal, political, economic and
other strategies can be employed to preempt and defeat these campaigns. For example: changing the
law to sentence boycott activists. We also want to share our information concerning the global boycott
campaign, to improve communication and intelligence about the delegitimizers to better anticipate
their activities so help can be provided to those who need assistance. Besides defensive measures, our
goal is to identify offensive steps that can be taken to set the agenda with regard to discussions about
Israel, to help create a more positive image of Israel and to educate the majority of people who are
ill-informed or ignorant about Israel and can potentially become friends.
Expectations
Our expectations are that we will not spend time restating problems that we already know exist and,
instead, participants will come with very specific ideas and cases for how we can work together to solve
them. Ideally, we will divide the labor among individuals and groups with specialties in the various
areas targeted by the delegitimizers rather than everyone try to do everything. For example, those with
ties to labor could work with unions; those with expertise in international relations could work with
members of UN agencies; those involved in media and PR could focus on journalists and messaging;
those concerned with legal issues could work with lawyers-judges and MP’s, and those familiar with
campus issues could work with students, faculty and other stakeholders.
6. Mission Statement of the Working Group on Antisemitism in the Internet
and in the Media
Co-Chairs: Mr. David Matas and Dr. Andre Oboler
Rationale
The internet has made the world smaller place. It connects us across national boundaries and empowers
individuals and communities. Without safeguards, that power can be abused by racist hate groups,
terrorists, bullies and those ignorant of the damage their actions cause to people and communities.
The impact of online antisemitism is not limited to the internet. Online hate can lead to real world
hate crimes, it can dramatically decrease the sense of safety in Jewish communities, and it can exclude
Jews from both online and real world society.
The Internet facilitates the spread of hate across national borders and enables greater coordination
between hate groups. Due to 'Antisemitism 2.0', the values of society are under threat as antisemitism
spreads in social media, with little response from platform providers, and creates social acceptability
where antisemitism as no more than an alternative opinion. Search engines like Google, Yahoo, and 16
Bing are the internet’s gatekeepers and often promote hate sites and their conspiracy theories ahead
of legitimate information. A major social media Platform provider declared Holocaust denial would
not be regarded as hate. Blogs are used for impromptu campaigns against the Jewish State, sometimes
based on classic antisemitic canards. A classic blood libel in a Swedish newspaper spread around the
world through the Internet. The “below the line” comments on online newspapers can be virulently
antisemitic without sufficient moderation, and many media outlets continue to apply a double standard
to the Jewish State.
In the few years since the advent of YouTube, Wikipedia, Facebook, Twitter and other Web 2.0
technologies, we have seen a sudden and rapidly increasing wave of antisemitic content. Videos and
images in the form of racist ‘memes’ spread rapidly across national borders, and law enforcement
struggles to cope with the international nature of the problem. While there have been some successes
in stopping or blocking the spread of internet antisemitism, we face an uphill battle in a constantly
changing online environment.
The purpose of this working group is to discuss the spread, and facilitation of the spread, of antisemitism
through the internet and the specific steps needed to mitigate this growing threat. The working group
will also consider the role the media plays in both combating and promoting antisemitism, both online
and through traditional mainstream media channels.
Goals
The Global Forum recognizes the urgent need to combat antisemitism online and in the media. This
working group will address and discuss what is being done, and what needs to be done, to mitigate
or prevent the spread of antisemitism through the internet and the media. We aims to develop an
appreciation of the extent of the problem, share best practices and analysis the techniques available to
combat the spread of antisemitism through the internet and the media.
Expectations
The working group last convened as an expert forum in 2011, and the work of that conference will
be shared with participants as a starting point for our deliberations. Participants are invited to submit
abstracts describing a particular project or response they, or organizations they represent, have
undertaken to combat online antisemitism. These will be compiled as a survey of global activities. A
selection of the participants will be invited to present to the working group. We also invite descriptions
of the challenges ahead, and potential approaches. These will be discussed in the working group and
presented to the forum as recommendations. The expectation is that the working group will propose
a model or blueprint for future action to combat hate on the internet and the media.
7. Working Group on Law, Legislation and Enforcement in Combating
Antisemitism
Co-Chairs: Prof. Dina Porat, Adv. Talia Naamat and Mr. Michael A. Salberg
Rationale
The working group will raise problems and offer possible solutions in legislating for the prohibition
of antisemitism in Europe and the United States. Antisemitic actions and expressions are generally
regulated as subcategories of the prohibitions on (1) non-discrimination, (2) crimes motivated by
religious or racial hatred ("hate crimes" or aggravating circumstances) and (3) incitement to hatred
("hate-speech"). Further to the European Union Framework Decision of 2008 on combating racism 17
and xenophobia, all Member States were required to amend their laws and add prohibitions on hate
crimes, incitement to hatred, and Holocaust and genocide denial. Most countries complied, to varying
degrees. During 2013 the EU Justice Department is scheduled to release a report on the implementation
status of the Framework Decision among the Member States.
Holocaust denial is prosecuted in some European countries under the general incitement to hatred clause,
while others have enacted specific laws on Holocaust denial. Both the incitement to hatred and Holocaust
denial clauses require that the speech must reach a certain threshold in order to be deemed prohibited.
Within this wide spectrum, Germany at one end requires the least minimal threshold of prohibiting
speech that violates the dignity of victims, while, at the other end, other countries only prohibit speech
that is likely to cause violence. (An interesting example is Spain: in 2007 the Constitutional Court ruled
that "simple" Holocaust denial was protected under the Spanish Constitution's freedom of expression,
and the prohibition was deemed unconstitutional. In January 2013 the cancelled clause was redrafted,
ostensibly to withstand free speech constraints, and is scheduled to enter into force in 2014. A ruling
of the Spanish Supreme Court in 2011 has further exemplified Spain's position on the hate-speech/
freedom of expression debate by permitting the dissemination of neo-Nazi propaganda, unless it is
used to incite violence or danger.)
The United States, famous for its staunch protection of the first amendment, requires the highest
standard yet, and prohibits only "fighting words" or speech that causes an imminent danger of violence.
These varying degrees of prohibitions (and punishments) among the countries constitute a platform for
internet users to easily circumvent national prohibitions by using U.S. servers for their websites. It has,
in essence, turned the US to an internet haven for hate mongers and Holocaust deniers. The working
group will discuss these and other legal aspects of combating Antisemitic expressions on the internet.
The working group will also discuss Antisemitism in U.S. and U.K. campuses. Title VI of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination at federally funded programs and activities. While the
Education's Office for Civil Rights has interpreted this as also applying to discrimination against Jewish
students, the definition of antisemitic conduct is ambiguous. Most notably, anti-Israel demonstrations
on campuses, using classic antisemitic tropes (now targeting Israelis, "Zionists", instead of or in
addition to "Jews"), have not been banned and create a hostile atmosphere for Jewish students. The
main challenge in this respect is to clearly define when speech may be categorized as criticism of Israel
(and thus within the scope of academic freedom), and when it includes generalized attacks on Jews
(and thus antisemitic). In this context the working group will discuss the feasibility of implementing
the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights' Working Definition of Antisemitism in university
campuses. It should be noted that the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
have endorsed the Working Definition, as well as the California Assembly in a 2012 resolution. The
Ottawa Protocol on Combating Antisemitism has also called for universities and colleges to adopt the
Working Definition. It should be noted, however, that its adoption is a contentious issue, currently
discussed in a University and College Union (UCU) tribunal trial in the U.K. During the trial the UCU
has been accused of institutional antisemitism, in breach of the UK Equality Act of 2010; evidence of
this is, among other things, it resolution to boycott Israeli academia and refusal to adopt the Working
Definition.
Goals
The working group aims to:
•
Discuss and analyze the above mentioned problem areas in US and Euurope law, as well as recent
rulings.
•
Raise possible solutions, including: 18
•
Discuss and offer best practices, such as: Germany and France, in which both the initiator of the
content and the internet service providers are liable; Hungary's appeals court recently convicted
the first Holocaust denier and ordered him to visit Auschwitz memorial site or Yad Vashem.
Is this educational approach a viable solution, especially within the context of the freedom of
expression debate?
•
Discuss possible amendment of laws to prevent creating internet havens in the US;
•
Recommend the adoption of the Working definition within university campuses and law
enforcement agencies.
•
Formulate an action plan based on the group's discussion and recommendations.
Expectations
The working group will formulate an action plan for advocating necessary amendments in the legislative
efforts to combat antisemitism; namely, calling for clear cut, enforceable definitions of what constitutes
antisemitism and Holocaust denial.
Mission Statement written by Prof. Dina Porat and Adv. Talia Naamat
8. Mission Statement of the Working Group on Interfaith Dialogue as an
instrument to mitigate Antisemitism
Co-Chairs: Ms. Anne-Marie Revcolevschi and Dr. Mufti Abduljalil Sajid
Can Religious Interfaith Dialogue Mitigate Anti-Semitism
Rationale
The multilateral interfaith dialogue, within the framework of numerous local, national or international
meetings, has enabled for many years different religious authorities to discuss their common values,
declare their common respect for the divine words and messages of peace and human fraternity, and
strive to let those common values prevail on different religious and sometimes opposite customs and
narratives which often divide believers.
Solemn declarations are regularly issued after such encounters, but in general the final conclusions and
recommendations remain restricted to declarations against intolerance, without any specific mention
of anti-Semitism.
Thus, the subject of anti-Semitism is only raised in the context of bilateral organizations favouring
closer links and better understanding between Jews and other faiths.
Regarding this issue, we can say that in the wake of the Shoah, most Christian churches have undergone
a process of repentance and rethought their teachings about Jews and Judaism.
The Catholic church, in 1965, adopted the famous Nostra Aetate declaration at the Second Vatican
Council; in 1967, its earlier calls for the internationalization of Jerusalem became a request for
“international guarantees of freedom of access for the holy places; in 1993, the diplomatic recognition
of the State of Israel was official, leading later Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI to visit Israel.
Protestant churches have issued similar statements on their co-responsibility and guilt for the Shoah,
recognizing the abiding election of the Jewish people, the Jewish roots of the Christian faith, the 19
irreconcilability of Christian faith with anti-Semitism and all forms of hatred for Jews, even though
if, in Germany particularly, the Protestant church is, in fact, more ambiguous. The central role of the
State of Israel for Judaism has nevertheless been recognized, along with wishes for a just and peaceful
resolution of the Middle East conflict.
The more complex Christian Orthodox-Jewish relations mix clear declarations of indignation of the
Shoah crimes and expressions of solidarity towards the Jewish people, and still anti-Semitic theological,
social and political declarations.
Concerning Jewish-Hindu dialogue, the recent years have led to some official high level encounters
concluding that both the Hindu and Jewish traditions affirm the sanctity of life and aspire for a society
in which all live in peace and harmony with one another. Accordingly they condemn all acts of violence
in the name of any religion or against any religion.
Coming to Muslim-Jewish bilateral relations and Islamic anti-Semitism, which is today the most crucial
problem, a few initiatives in European, North American and Israeli organizations have managed to
install some bilateral dialogue leading Muslim clerics to denounce anti-Semitism and reject holocaust
denial. Recalling the mention by the Prophet Mohammed regarding the Jews as the People of the Book
who must be respected, and putting in sight the common Jewish and Muslim biblical prophets, this
Jewish-Muslim dialogue has been, in fact, largely overshadowed by hate speeches based on Islamic
sources depicting Jews as pigs and apes who have to be destroyed. When this dialogue still exists,
it varies according to the religious Jewish liberal or orthodox tendencies as well as to the Shiite or
Sunnite conservative or moderate currents, invariably linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and
developments, as well as to the diverse internal and national political situations.
Even in Western countries like France, Belgium, or England, where some Jewish-Muslim dialogue exists,
anti-Jewish terrorism perpetrated by Muslims “in the name of Allah”, has never been unequivocally
denounced by Muslim authorities in those countries.
In Iran and Arab countries, the situation is clearly different: anti-Semitic and not only anti-Zionist
declarations issued by Muslim clerics are overwhelmingly the rule in mosques, religious TV programmes
and on the internet, holocaust denial being the doxa except for Turkey, “Palestine”, and some North
African countries. It is clear that the ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict has made all tentative of interfaith
dialogue extremely complicated.
From the above remarks, one can infer that multilateral interfaith experiences, in its present form,
has not been an effective tool in mitigating anti-Semitism whereas bilateral interfaith work has been
more productive in this regard.
To conclude quickly, what made the difference concerning anti-Semitism in the Christian world was the
important Nostrae Aetate declaration, with its world consequences in the catholic teaching and official
texts, but no such fatwa has ever been issued by eminent Muslim leaders. Regarding the other faiths,
not speaking of the European neo Nazi Christian old anti-Semitism, it remains difficult to separate
anti-Semitism from anti-Zionism. In addition, the growing strong European anti-Muslim racism and
xenophobia in Europe renders our topic even more difficult.
Goals
If bilateral interfaith experiences are considered by participants to be a better way to mitigate antiSemitism, sharing best practices in order to develop possible new ways should be the purpose of this
working group. The need to educate young theologians about what Jews and Judaism, on a reciprocal
basis, should be experimented. High level bilateral meetings of religious authorities should be tried:
the essential point of all those possible experiments is that they have to be sustainable projects with
the constitution of a small task force able to follow up the work.
Expectations
Participants are invited to submit abstracts describing a particular project or response they, or
organizations they represent, have undertaken to combat anti-Semitism. These will be compiled as a
survey of global activities. A selection of the participants will be invited to present their projects to
the working group. We also invite them to suggest guidelines to the working group who will propose
a working plan with objectives, agenda, and criteria of assessing the implementation of some of the
suggested projects.
9. Mission Statement of the Working Group on Maintaining Continuance of
Diaspora Jewish Life
Co-Chairs: Dr. Dov Maimon and Mr. Philip Carmel
Rationale
Against the background of demographic shifts including the mass migration of non-European populations
to Europe, the recent attempt to restrict rights to normative Jewish practice in Europe could be viewed
as the latest juridical/political aspect of a larger identity backlash against multi-cultural policies. While
apparently directed mainly against Muslims, this new and vigorous opposition to particularist religious
practices affects the status of Judaism, and may, in the long term, pose a serious challenge to the future
thriving of European Jewish communities and beyond.
•
The attempt to ban circumcision in Germany (rule adopted by the Bundestag on December 10, 2012
but 75% of Germans oppose it resting on human rights and medical claims),
•
The attempt to ban Shechita in Holland (already effective in Switzerland, Sweden, Norway and
Iceland – resting on animal rights claims),
•
The proposed abolition of eternal cemeteries (in Switzerland and Belgium, resting on a claim of
environmental interest),
•
The rejection of requests for accommodation of public examinations in light of the Jewish calendar
(in France and Switzerland, resting on a claim of separation between Church and State),
•
The rejection of requests for non-electric entry access in private condominiums (in France, resting
on security claims),
•
The reconsideration of the traditional massive public funding of Jewish cultural institutions and the
increasing pressure on Jewish day schools, resting on ethnic non-discrimination claims), and more.
It is worthwhile to consider whether current approaches and methodology utilized by Jewish
communities, winning short-term votes and attaining back-door agreements but not always engaging
with the wider developments in public opinion will protect Jewish practices over the long-term. There
is no certainty that answers and institutions that have been effective in the past will adequately fit
tomorrow’s challenges.
Goals
Assess existing national and trans-European communal mechanisms and launch an “out-of-the-box”
process to develop a bold vision able to meet future developments as they emerge. As numbers and
political sway diminish within some European Jewish communities, coordination with non-European
Jewish actors could be considered in order to elaborate a global coordination mechanism and propose
a comprehensive and professional response.
Expectations
1. Learn from the Jewish people response to the attempts to ban ritual slaughter in Holland and
circumcision in Germany.
2. Map and assess the coming attempts to Jewish rituals and Jewish life
in Europe.
3. Discuss some of the critical policy dilemmas
4. Discuss models of pan-European and international coordination mechanisms.
Open issues and policy dilemmas
Political
•
Should Israel be involved and/or lead in these Diaspora affairs?
•
Should Israeli top-level politicians address this issue with their European counterparts?
•
Should American Jewry lobby within the US political establishment or directly intervene at the
local political European level?
• Is there a need for greater coordination internationally to aid local communities often lacking
political know-how and financial resources? Is there room for Jewish communities to coordinate
collective action with the much more numerous Muslim communities?
•
What are likely to be the costs and benefits of such a strategy?
Communal
•
What could be the cumulative effects of what we call a growing de-legitimization of the Jewish
religion on the core Jewish population and on disaffiliated Jewish families? What will be the symbolic
and economic effects on communal life?
•
Should we encourage protest and resistance, or laying low?
•
Should they seek the intervention of international and Israeli actors and how would that impact the
community’s status?
•
Should Jews claim that Judaism and liberalism share the same basic universal values or should they
seek support from within more conservative circles?
•
Should Jewish rights be afforded in a derogatory fashion as separate ethnic communities or within
the pure law itself as regular citizens?
Action items
•
Should we develop a Jewish legal mechanism to confront existing and expectable new claims
against Jewish practice?
•
Should we build coalitions with the numerous opponents of state intrusion in religious life, and
should we refuse such state interference into religious affairs?
10.Mission Statement of the Working Group on Antisemitism on Campus and
Education for Tolerance and Mutual Respect
Co-Chairs: Dr. Charles Asher Small, Prof. Shmuel Trigano and Ms. Michelle Whiteman
Context: College campuses, as well as the academic and intellectual environment have become
increasingly hostile to Jewish students and scholars. In fact, it is this context that has become the
frontline of the propaganda war against Israel and the Jewish people. Israel is increasingly delegitimized
and demonized on campus and also within more course curriculum, exposing Jewish students and
intellectuals to harassment, intimidation, which threatens, at times, grade advancement and career
development. The impact of funding, and potential funding, from Gulf states to academic institutions
in the West, comprises an element to this issue – which has not been well documented. This campaign
has successfully exploited the language of human rights, including contemporary post-modernist
notions, which cloak its hateful and illiberal message. This process is also adopting an increasingly
classic antisemitic discourse, under the guise of anti-Zionism and Israel bashing. The use of traditional
antisemitic imagery and comparisons between Israel and Apartheid or Nazi Germany, mixed with
post-colonial mythologies, are entering into mainstream discourse, even within respected academic
institutions throughout Europe, North America and beyond. The problem of Islamic radicalization on
campuses possesses another related challenge. Some western countries experience these processes
differently; the UK is a key center of radicalization, recruitment and extremism. In France and Belgium,
for example, there is a convergence between brown, green and red ideologies. In the United States
its free market system can make it more susceptible to financial donations an effective tool to garner
support and influence.
Biased scholarship and an anti-Israel Middle East departments on campuses internationally develop
curriculum disconnected from historical reality, which encourages the de-legitimatization of the Jewish
State, preparing a generational bias against Israel. The 2011 One State Conference at Harvard University
is a reflection of the hostile ideology that is increasingly permeating campuses. These developments
have been generally tolerated by university leadership and by civil society.
While some organizations monitor academic activity, most pro-Israel organizations, including diplomatic
representatives, have countered the negative campaign against Israel with a strategy of positive
messaging about Israel, unrelated to the conflict. It is reasoned that positive images of Israel will
successfully neutralize the negative. Therefore, many organizations ignore events such as "Israel
Apartheid Week" so as not to draw further attention to it. There is no systemic analysis of funding
(follow the money) and there is no analysis of curriculum development to counter the attacks that are
rooted in antisemitism and deligitimization.
A new effective strategy to confront the demonization of Israel is required and would allow greater
control over the message and put the focus on Israel's detractors, rather than on Israel itself. Whille
the language of human rights has been co-opted as a weapon against Israel, it is henceforth through
the language of human rights that this campaign can be effectively defeated, but as prosecutors not 23
as victims demanding justice. It is important to develop a strong and declarative confidence in the
Zionist position.
Research is necessary to discern the group or groups that may be funding, directing, influencing and/or
manipulating anti-Israel agitation and to reveal the forces behind this anti-Israel academic campaign,
which is part of the psychological war against Israel. It is also important to support critical studies of
Palestinian society, and other Middle Eastern societies, its politics and culture for developing a new
symbolical weapon in this struggle. The relations and interests of international relations and trade also
need to be assessed.
These matters require systemic interdisciplinary scholarly analysis, as well as subsequent policy
development and implementation. In doing so and within this context, the Working Group will put
forth research projects and policy development initiatives to be carried out in the future by members
of the Working Group.
Inter-Parliamentary Coalition for Combating Antisemitism (ICCA) Task Force 30th
May - Panel on Internet Hate: Strategies and Best Practices for Combating Online Hate
Summary
In 2010, the Inter-Parliamentary Coalition for Combating Antisemitism established a Task Force on
Internet Hate, and appointed as co-chairs MK Yuli-Yoel Edelstein, then Israel’s Minister of Information
and Diaspora, Now Knesset Speaker, and Christopher Wolf, an American Internet lawyer. The Task
Force met in the UK Houses of Parliament for a hearing on the nature and scope of Internet hate, and
in 2012, at Stanford University with representatives of the Internet industry. Following that meeting,
the Task Force appointed ADL to convene the Anti-Cyberhate Working Group to build best practices
for understanding, reporting upon and responding to Internet hate. The group includes representatives
from the major internet platforms, academics and industry experts. This session will include a report of
the task force's findings and recommendations for establishing effective strategies to combat internet
hate, including the importance of dialogue with the industry.
GFCA Working-Groups Co-Chairs, Moderators
and Speakers BIOS (by alphabetical order)
Mufti Gazmend Aga, Deputy Chairman of Muslim Community of Albania. Master in Theology,
Beder University. 2008 Hartford Seminary, Master in Interfaith Dialogue and Christian-Muslim
Relations. 2000-2004 Marmara University, Faculty of Theology, Istanbul-Turkey. Previously the
Representative of Albanian Muslim Community for North America and Canada. Till 2010 Muslim
Representative of NAAC (National Albanian-American Council) for North America and Canada and
Imam of the Albanian-American Community, Connecticut USA. Founder of Albanian American Sunday
School in CT. Part of the organizing board of Festivals in the Albanian Community in CT. Founder
of the Youth Sport-Club for the Albanian-American youth in Connecticut. Till 2008 - Mufti of Lezha
(head of imams of a city) in Albania. 2006-2008 Director of Mandatory commission In Albanian
Muslim community in Albania.
RabbiAndrew Baker, is Director of International Jewish Affairs of the American Jewish Committee.
In 2009, he was appointed Personal Representative on Combating Anti-Semitism of the Chair-inOffice of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and continues to serve in
this position. He is Vice President of the Jewish Claims Conference and has served on restitution and
historical commissions in the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia. In recognition of
his work in Europe he was decorated by the Presidents of Germany, (2003) Lithuania (2006), Latvia
(2007) and Romania (2009). He is a past President of the Interfaith Conference of Washington, a
former Commissioner of the District of Columbia Human Rights Commission, a past President of the
Washington Board of Rabbis and a former chaplain at San Quentin Prison.
Ambassador Rafael Barak, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (since May 2011).
During his long career in the Ministry also served as: Deputy Director General and Head of the Western
European Division; Charge d'Affaires at the Embassy in Paris; Minister Plenipotentiary and Deputy
Chief of Mission in Washington, D.C.; Deputy Director General for Coordination and the Director of
the Director General's Bureau; 1993 - Chief Coordinator for negotiations with the Palestinians; Deputy
Chief of Mission to Belgium and Luxembourg; Counselor and Press Attaché to the Mission of Israel
to the European Community in Brussels, and accredited also to Luxembourg and as Second Secretary
and later First Secretary in Lima, Peru in 1979. Alumnus Cum Laude of the Rothschild Foundation
Scholarship Program; M.A. degree in Political Science, Hebrew University of Jerusalem; B.A. degree
in Political Science and General History, Tel Aviv University. Born in Montevideo, Uruguay.
Dr. Mitchell Bard, is the Executive Director of the nonprofit American Israeli Cooperative Enterprise
(AICE) and one of the leading authorities on U.S. Middle East policy. Dr. Bard is also the director of
the Jewish Virtual Library (www.JewishVirtualLibrary.org). Bard holds a Ph.D. in political science
from UCLA and a master's degree in public policy from Berkeley. He received his B.A. in economics
from UC Santa Barbara. He has written and edited 22 books, including Will Israel Survive?, Myths
and Facts: A Guide to the Arab-Israeli Conflict, 48 Hours of Kristallnacht, The Arab Lobby and Israel
Matters: Understand the Past – Look to the Future.
Prof. Yehuda Bauer, (born 1926) is the Academic Adviser to Yad Vashem, Emeritus Professor of
Holocaust Studies at the Hebrew University, Member of the Israeli Academy of Sciences, and Hon
Chairman of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. He has published fifteen books,
mainly on Holocaust, Antisemitism and Genocide25
Ambassador Gideon Behar, The Conference Chair – Amb. Behar is the director of the Department for
Combating Antisemitism at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel since 2011. He served as Israel's
ambassador to Senegal 2006-2011, as deputy head of the Jordan, Syrian and Lebanon Department
2002-2006, political counselor at Israel's embassy in Berlin 2000-2002, and deputy head of mission of
Israel's diplomatic office in Tunisia 1996-2000. He won M.A. degree at Islamic Fundamentalism and
B.A. at Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at the Hebrew University. He was awarded by President
Wad of Senegal the "Grand Officier de l'Ordre National du Lion" for his unique contribution to
Senegal, as well as a special award from Senegal's NGOS umbrella organization, CONGAD, for his
humanitarian work in Senegal.
Naftali Bennett, Minister of Economy, Jerusalem, and Diaspora Affairs of Israel and Chairman of the
Jewish Home party. Joined the Knesset after careers in the Israeli hi-tech sector, the Israel Defense
Forces (IDF), and public service. A commander in one of IDF’s most elite combat commando unit.
Today, he is a Major (Res.) in the IDF command Unit, "Sayeret Matkal". In 1999, co-founded with
three friends and served as CEO of Cyota, an anti-fraud software company until it was sold in 2005 for
$145 million. After his service in the Second Lebanon War, turned to public service, as Chief of Staff
to then-opposition leader Benyamin Netanyahu, contributing to the growth of Likud from 12 MKs to
27.The leader of the Likud’s education reform team. Before running for Knesset, served as the CEO
of the Council of Judea and Samaria (Yesha) and created a non-profit organization, MyIsrael, which
connected the broader Israeli public with Zionism and Jewish values. Born to American immigrants,
grew up in Haifa, LLb. from Hebrew University of Jerusalem, married and has four children.
Ambassador Shmuel Ben-Shmuel, Since 2006 Mr. Ben-Shmuel serves as head of World Jewish
Affairs and Inter- Religious Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since joining in 1981
the Ministry, served in various posts including: Political Councilor in Israel's Embassy in South Africa,
Deputy Consul General in New York, Director of World Jewish Affairs Department, and Consul general
of Israel in Atlanta G.A. Served as a paratrooper in the I.D.F, Taking part in the war of Attrition and the
Yom-Kipur War, in 1973. B.A degree in political science from Tel-Aviv University. Mr. Ben-Shmuel
has been involved in strengthening Israel's relationship with world Jewry and in the struggles against
Anti-Semitism and De-legitimization of the state of Israel, throughout his prolific career in the ministry.
Designated Ambassador to Australia to assume position in 2013.
Philip Carmel, Born in Manchester, UK, Philip made Aliyah in 1987 to Kibbutz Maale Gilboa.
Moving to Jerusalem in 1998, he worked as an editor on the Europe-Africa desk of AFP in Paris, later
becoming correspondent for the JTA and the London Jewish Chronicle for France, Belgium and the
EU.From 2005, he was International Relations Director of the Conference of European Rabbis, and
simultaneously Executive Director of the Lo Tishkach Project, an initiative of the Claims Conference.
Philip is currently European Policy Advisor to the European Jewish Congress.He lives with his wife
Sandra and three children in Brussels.
Imam Hassen Chalghoumi, Imam of the city of Drancy & President of the Conference of Imams
of France. A French Imam and the President of the Conference of Imams of France which positioned
itself in opposition to the gradually radicalizingCounsel of the Muslim Cult of France (CFCM).
Imam Chalghoumi stands at the head of a growing movement of French Muslim religiousleaders
which are calling upon all the Muslims of France for Patriotism, love of country, rejection of
foreign religiousinfluences and rejection of the importation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to France.
Rabbi Abraham Cooper, is associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a leading Jewish human
rights NGO. He is a longtime activist for Jewish and human rights causes on five continents. Since 26
1977, Rabbi Cooper has overseen the Wiesenthal Center’s international social action agenda and
worldwide promotion of tolerance education. He is widely recognized as a pioneer and international
authority on issues related to Digital Hate and Terrorism. Rabbi Cooper has interfaced with religious
and political leaders in India, Japan, China, Egypt, Sudan, Jordan, Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore
and coordinated international conferences at UNESCO, Berlin, Geneva, Bali and Mumbai. He is a
founding member of Israel’s Global Forum on anti-Semitism.
Ambassador Ran Curiel, is the Senior Deputy Director General and Political Director of Israel’s
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
From 2007 to 2011 he served as Ambassador of Israel to the European Union and NATO.
From 2003 to 2007 he served as Deputy Director General, and Head of the European Department at
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem
From 1996 to 2001, he was Israel’s Ambassador in Greece.
Ambassador Curiel has dealt for many years with E.U. – Israel relations.
During his career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he served in Washington and Buenos Aires.
He holds a BA in Middle Eastern and African Studies from Tel Aviv University and a Master Degree
in Political Sciences from Haifa University.
Yuli (Yoel) Edelstein, MK, Speaker of the Knesset since March 2013. Born in Czernowitz (former
Soviet Union). In 1979, during his studies at the Institute for Foreign Languages in Moscow, he applied
to emigrate to Israel, and was rejected by the authorities. As a Russian Refusenik, Mr. Edelstein was
active in Zionist circles in Moscow where he also taught Hebrew. In 1984, he was arrested by the KGB
on trumped up charges of drug possession and sentenced to 3 years in a Soviet labor camp. Following
his release in 1987, he emigrated to Israel. One of the founders and leaders of Yisrael BeAliyah, a
party of new immigrants. Minister of Immigrant Absorption until 1999. Till 2003 - Deputy Speaker
of the Knesset, Chairman of the Yisrael B'Aliyah Knesset Faction and Deputy Minister for Immigrant
Absorption. 2003-2006, MK again appointed Deputy Speaker of the Knesset. Served as Chairman of
the Lobby for the Golan Heights and Chairman of the Israel-Canada Parliamentary Friendship Group.
Till 2013 - Minister of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora.
Zeev Elkin, serves as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel. Born in 1971 in Kharkov and
immigrated to Israel in 1990. Has a BA in Mathematics and an M.A. in History of the Jewish People.
Worked in the Aliyah Department of the Gesher Organization and set up the Chase Center for the Study
of Jewish Sciences in Russian. Elkin was first elected to the Knesset in 2006, and served as a member
of the Finance, Education, Constitutional, and the Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Committees.
Served as chairman of the Likud Faction and chairman of the Coalition, as well as chairman of the
Sub-Committee on Judea & Samaria in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, chairman of the
Land of Israel Lobby, chairman of the Jerusalem Lobby, chairman of the Higher Education Lobby and
chairman of the Lobby for Gush Katif Evacuees.
Sammy Eppel, Consultant, political analyst, Journalist, Member of Interamerican Press Association(SIP).
Columnist for Venezuelan major newspaper (EL UNIVERSAL), over 600 published articles, reprinted
in other newspapers and websites. Guest commentator in radio and Television in Venezuela and abroad.
Founder(1995) and current president of FUNDACION MADRE MARIA LUISA CASA a catholic
foundation that cares for underprivileged children in Caracas worst slums that runs a school, a medical
facility and a food preparation center. Member of the governing body of Venezuelan Jewish community
(CAIV) and acting director of commission of human rights of B’nai Brith Venezuela. Lecturer and
presenter of HASBARA Spanish program. Active on interfaith relations and enlightening programs. 27
Since 2004 has concentrated on the Venezuelan phenomenon “GOVERNMENT SPONSORED
ANTISEMITISM” and how it relates to “JUDEOPHOBIA".
Abraham H. Foxman, National Director, Anti-Defamation League. Mr. Foxman has been National
Director of the ADL since 1987. An attorney, he is world-renowned as a leader in the fight against
anti-Semitism, bigotry and discrimination, and is a prominent advocate in support of the State of Israel.
A Holocaust survivor, he has written extensively on the subject. He regularly confers with elected
officials and community leaders in the U.S. and abroad. Mr. Foxman appears frequently on national
news programs and is quoted in major national media. He is the Author of The Deadliest Lies: The
Israel Lobby and the Myth of Jewish Control (2007); Never Again? The Threat of the New Anti-Semitism
(2003) and Viral Hate: Containing Its Spread on the Internet (2013).
Dr. Boaz Ganor, is the Ronald Lauder Chair for Counter Terrorism, the Deputy Dean of the Lauder School
of Government, the founder and Executive Director of the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism
(ICT), and the head of the Counter-Terrorism and Homeland Security Studies at the Interdisciplinary
Center (IDC), Herzliya, Israel. Also the founder and President of the International Academic CounterTerrorism Community (ICTAC), Dr. Ganor is a member of the International Advisory Council of the
International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (IDSS) at Nanyang Technological
University, Singapore. He is also co-founder of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalization
and Political Violence (ICSR) King’s College, London. In 2008-2009, Dr. Ganor served as a Koret
Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. And in 1998 – 2003 he
was a member of the Israeli Delegation to the Trilateral (American-Palestinian-Israeli) Committee for
Monitoring Incitement to Violence and Terror.
Neris Germanas, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania. Graduate of
Radioelectronics, Leningrad Polytechnic Institute. Served in the MFA in various postings: Ambassador,
European Affairs Department; Director of European Affairs Department; Head of the Secretariat of
the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States; Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Lithuania to the Council of Europe;
Undersecretary of MFA; Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Lithuania
to Finland. Foreign policy adviser to the President A. Brazauskas. 1994-1998 Chairman of the group for
the relations with the State of Israel and Jewish community of Lithuania, established by the President.
Chancellor of the Seimas (Parliament) of the Republic of Lithuania, Member of the Board of the Seimas
and Member of the Seimas (Parliament) of the Republic of Lithuania.
Jeremy Jones, AM is an international researcher, writer, speaker and activist in the areas of human
rights, anti-racism and interfaith dialogue. Director of International and of Community Affairs for the
Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council and a Life Member and former President of the Executive
Council of Australian Jewry, he is a Member of the Order of Australia, was appointed Ambassador of
the People of Australia in 2012 and won the 2007 Australian Human Rights Medal. He is the successful
litigant in a number of Racial Hatred cases and the Chair of a number of interfaith dialogues. He has
been on Australian Government delegations to a number of United Nations and other inter-governmental
conferences on human rights issues and has participated in more than twenty international conferences
devoted to monitoring and combatting Anti-Semitism.
Konstantinos Karagkounis, Deputy Minister of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights for the
Hellenic Parliament since June 2012. First elected Member of The Hellenic Parliament on 2009 with
the Party of NeaDimokratia in the Prefecture of Etoloakarnania. Law Degree from the Faculty of Law
of the National and Kapodestrian University of Athens, Greece and an LL.M. in International Legal 28
Studies from the University of London (UEL) , with honors. Attended further postgraduate studies at
the University of Edinburgh specializing in intellectual property. Executive program in European Law at
the University of Tours (UNIVERSITE FRANCOIS RABELAIS DE TOURS, FACULTE DE DROIT)
; A quarterly curriculum in French, in INSTUTUT LINGUISTIQUE DY PEIROU. Educational program
in leadership at Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government.. Honorary positions: December
2010 - Deputy Head of Sector of Justice in his party. He has also participated at various committees
which consider specific legislative issues in details. December 2011 - appointed as a Secretary of the
Greek Parliament.
Marc Knobel, is a former researcher from the Simon Wiesenthal Center. He was also Vice President
of the International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism and a member of the Observatory of
Anti-Semitism. An expert in anti-Semitism and Islamic and extreme right-wing movements, he has
published numerous papers articles and books in this area. He has also participated in a number of
collective publications. As a specialist of the issue of extremism on the Internet. Marc Knobel is now
a researcher at the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions (CRIF). He also serves as President
of J’accuse, an association fighting against racism and anti-Semitism on the Internet.
Ambassador Michael Kozak, Interim Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, Bureau of
Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, U.S. Department of State, since October 2012. Previous positions
include: Senior Director on the National Security Council staff (2005-2009) with responsibility for
Democracy, Human Rights, and Religious Freedom, among other issues; Principal Deputy Assistant
Secretary of State (Democracy, Human Rights and Labor 2003-2005 and 2013; Inter-American Affairs
1988-1991; Legal Adviser 1982-88); Acting Assistant Secretary of State (Democracy, Human Rights
and Labor 2004-5; Inter-American Affairs January 1989-July 1989); Staff of the Middle East peace
negotiator (1982-83) Helped implement the Camp David Accords and negotiate the withdrawal of the
PLO from Lebanon.
Dr. Tomas Kraus, Executive Director -Federation of Jewish Communities in the Czech Rep. since '91.
Rebuilder of infrastructure of Czech Jewish Communities, in charge of respective legislation, focus
on return of Jewish property and compensation for Holocaust survivors on Czech and international
top political levels. Member - Discussion Forum of the Czech-German Future Fund '97; Chairman
- Supervisory Board of the Czech Council of Nazi Victims. One of the initiators - Holocaust Era
Assets Conference, Prague '09, and Supervisory Board Chair of its direct outcome - European Shoah
Legacy Institute. President - B´nai B´rith Renaissance. President- Czech Society of Christians and
Jews. Active in many international NGOs, e.g. the European Council of Jewish Communities. Exe.
member- European Jewish Congress, '09 elected its Vice-President. Vice-President-World Jewish
Congress ('09). Publication of articles; appearances in various media. Active Professor, New York
and Western Michigan Uni. etc. Subjects - mainly Holocaust and Jewish Studies. Both parents were
Holocaust survivors.
Mr. Genti Kruja, Director of Culture and Interfaith Dialogue Department in Muslim Community of
Albania. Till 2010 Director of Human Resource Department in Muslim Community of Albania. Till
2005 President of Prizmi Publishing House and Dialogue Center, Tirana, Albania. Editor of many
books translated into Albaninan. Since 2009 a PhD Student, University of Tirana, Faculty of Social
Sciences, Department of Philosophy. Master Degree in Sociology – Philosophy University of Tirana,
Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Sociology – Philosophy. Bachelor in Sociology, Istanbul
University, Turkey.
Dr. Dov Maimon, Senior Fellow at JPPI, the Jerusalem based Jewish People Thinktank, Dov Maimon
has published a policy paper about the circumcision crisis and its implications for European and world
Jewry. Born in Paris, he earned a B.Sc. from the Technion, a MBA from Insead, a M.A in Religious
Anthropology and a Ph.D. in Islamic and Medieval Studies from the Sorbonne University. His was
laureate of the prestigious prize "Grand Prix du chancelier des universities 2005" awarded to the
best French PhD work in Literature and Human Sciences. He is teaching at the School of Business
Administration of the Ben Gurion University.
John Mann, MP (UNITED KINGDOM), was elected as Labour Member of Parliament for Bassetlaw
in June 2001. John has run high profile campaigns on consumer debt, heroin and treatment for addiction,
the staking of grave stones and the double charging by solicitors for miner compensation claims. In
2003 he ran a successful campaign to keep Bassetlaw Hospital A&E open and in 2006 he won the
campaign to stop Bassetlaw Primary Care Trust from being merged into a wider county-wide primary
care trust. John was reelected to the highly influential Treasury Select Committee in January 2009. In
a previous period on the committee he led the campaign for more transparency in the consumer credit
industry. John has also been Parliamentary Private Secretary to then Minister for the Olympics Tessa
Jowell, and for Richard Caborn, then Minister for Sport. Before entering Parliament he worked for the
Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers (AEEU), the TUC and TULO. He is a former Chair of
Labour Students and just prior to his election he was involved in running the family business. Since
2005 he has been Chair of the All-Party Group Against Antisemitism and commissioned the All-Party
Parliamentary Inquiry into Antisemitism. John is the Co-founder and Chairman of the ICCA.
Itamar Marcus, Founder and Director of Palestinian Media Watch, is one of the foremost authorities
on Palestinian ideology and policy. Mr. Marcus represented Israel in negotiations with the Palestinian
Authority on Incitement in 1999 and currently is on an advisory board to the Israeli government. He
has presented analyses of Palestinian ideologies including the role Antisemitism plays in forming
Palestinian identity, in academic, cultural and government frameworks, including hearings, lectures
and briefings to members of US Congress and Senate, as well as dozens of briefings in numerous
parliaments. Marcus has lectured at conferences, at universities, to senior security officials and media
worldwide.
Daniel S. Mariaschin, is celebrating 25 years with B’nai B’rith International this year.
As the executive vice president, the organization’s top executive officer, Mr. Mariaschin directs and
supervises B’nai B’rith programs, activities and staff in the more than 50countries. He also serves as
director of B'nai B'rith's International Center for Human Rights and Public Policy. In this dual capacity,
he presents B’nai B’rith’s views and analysis to world leaders, international forums and conferences,
the U.S. Congress and the media and coordinates B’nai B’rith’s programs and policies on issues of
concern to the Jewish community.
Dr. Pascal Markowicz, Law studies (Faculty of Law Paris-Assas University) : member of the Union
of Jewish Students of France. Lawyer at the Paris Bar. Representatives of the Paris Bar at the Civilian
& Criminal Electronic Proceedings Committee (Ministry of Justice). Treasurer & Member of the
Executive Board of the Association of French Jewish Lawyers. 2005 – 2011 : Representative of the
Meir Amit Intelligence & Terrorism Information Center (France). Works with the Embassy of Israël
(France), Israeli Mission to the European Institutions (Bruxelles), Israeli MFA. Board of Deputies
& President of International Relations Commission (CRIF France). Expert on delegitimization of
Israël, anti-boycott litigations. Several articles about the boycott of Israël. France-Israël Chamber of
Commerce’s lawyer.30
David Matas, is an immigration, refugee and international human rights lawyer in private practice
in Winnipeg since 1973. For B'nai Brith Canada he is Senior Honorary Counsel. He wrote the books
Justice Delayed: Nazi War Criminals in Canada 1987 with Susan Charendoff; Bloody Words: Hate
and Free Speech 2000 and Aftershock: Anti-Zionism and Antisemitism, 2005. Amongst the honours
conferred on David Matas are Honorary Doctorate of Law, Concordia University 1996; Dr. Percy
Barsky Humanitarian Award Canadian Shaare Zedek Hospital Foundation 1997; Order of Canada 2009;
Nobel Peace Prize nomination 2010; and the Ben Gurion University Negev award of distinction 2010.
Ambassador Gideon Meir, Director General for Public Diplomacy, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
in Jerusalem. BA in Geography and Political Science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where
he also completed his studies toward an MA degree in Public Administration. Among the postions
held in the Ministry: Consul and chargé d’affaires for Administrative Affairs at the Israeli Embassy
in Washington until 1982. During this period, Gideon Meir took part in the negotiations team for the
Egyptian Peace Treaty and then joined the official delegation to Camp David, for the signature of
the peace agreement in 1979; Deputy Director of the Personnel Department; Counselor and Deputy
Chief of Mission at the Israeli Embassy in Ottawa; Director of the Training Division; Deputy Head of
Mission at the Israeli Embassy in London; Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs on World Jewish
Affairs, and in 1997 he became a member of the Conversion Bill Committee (The Yaakov Ne’eman
Commission); Deputy Director-General for Media and Public Affairs; Ambassador to Italy, Malta,
San Marino and the FAO.
Nickolay Mladenov, former Minister of Foreign Affairs (2010-'13) and Minister of Defence (2009-'10)
of Bulgaria. Member of the European Parliament. (2007-'09) Served on the Foreign Affairs Committee
– Security and Defense Subcommittee and on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee.
Chair of the Delegation for relations with Iraq and the member of delegations to Israel and Afghanistan.
Member of the Bulgarian Parliament - Vice-Chairman of the European Integration Committee and sat
on Foreign and Defense Policy Committee. Representative to the Constitutional Convention on the
Future of Europe. Previously worked for the World Bank and the Open Society Institute for Bulgaria
and South East Europe.Consulted the World Bank, NDI, IRI and int. organizations in South Eastern
Europe, the Middle East, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen and Morocco. MA, Warfare Studies, King’s College,
London; MA, Int. Relations, University for National and World Economy, Sofia.
Talia Naamat, Adv. Attorney, legal researcher,. Faculty of Law, Bar Ilan University (L.LB awarded
in 2005). Member of the Israel Bar Association. Philosophy Master Program, Tel Aviv University
(2009-2013 thesis pending). Co-edited “Legislating for Equality – A Multinational Collection of
Non-Discrimination Norms”, Volume I: Europe (Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 2012) and Volumes
II: Americas (forthcoming, 2013) Comparative legal research in areas related to human rights, nondiscrimination, racism and Anti-Semitism, Holocaust denial, at the Tel-Aviv University, Kantor Center
for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry, since 2009. Previously associate at Rosenberg, KerenPolak & Co. law firm.
Fiamma Nirenstein, A journalist and author, leading colummnist for “Il Giornale” daily; a member
of the Italian Parliament in the XVI legislature. Served until March 2013 as Vice-president of the
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Chamber of Deputies and established and chaired the Parliamentary
Committee for the Inquiry into Antisemitism, as well as the Institutional Cooperation Committee
between the Knesset and the Chamber of Deputies. Led the over 200 MPs Italy-Israel Parliamentary
Friendship Association. A board member of the "Friends of Israel" Initiative, chaired by José Maria
Aznar. An expert in Middle East, terrorism and antisemitism. Unanimously elected (2011) chairperson
of the International Council of Jewish Parliamentarians (ICJP). A member of the Interparliamentary 31
Coalition on Combating Antisemitism (ICCA) Steering Committee. In June 2011, she was included
in the Jerusalem Post list of the 50 most influential Jews in the world. Has written ten books and
introduced and prefaced Bernard Lewis and Natan Sharansky. She has been awarded 18 national and
international awards for her journalistic and literary work, and for her parliamentary commitment.
Dr. Andre Oboler, is CEO of the Online Hate Prevention Institute in Australia. He is a leading expert
in online antisemitism and has served as co-chair of the online antisemitism working group since 2009.
Dr. Oboler’s research has covered areas such as ‘Antisemitism 2.0’, Holocaust denial on Facebook,
manipulation of Wikipedia, replacement geography in Google Earth, Racist Memes and automated
hate in YouTube. Dr Oboler holds a PhD in Computer Science from Lancaster University (UK), was
a Post Doctoral Fellow in Political Science at Bar-Ilan University (Israel) and is currently completing
a law degree at Monash University (Australia).
Prof. Dina Porat, is head of the Kantor Center for the study of Contemporary European Jewry and
incumbent of the Alfred P. Slaner Chair for the Study of contemporary Antisemitism and Racism in
Tel Aviv university, and Chief historian of Yad Vashem.
Was awarded prizes for some of her many publication, TAU's Faculty of Humanities best teacher for
2004, the Raoul Wallenberg Medal for 2012, and is on the 50 leading Israeli scholars list of 2013 the
Marker Magazine. Served as an expert on Israeli Foreign Ministry delegations to UN world conferences,
and as the academic advisor of the International Task Force on Holocaust Education, Remembrance
and Research.
Aviva Raz Shechter, Deputy Director General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Middle East and Peace
Process since 2011. Formerly the Director of the Department for Combating Antisemitsm (2005-2011),
and the initiator and Chair of the First Conference of the Global Forum for Combating Antisemitism
convened in 2007. Her previous appointments included Minister Counselor for Public and Academic
Affairs at the Embassy in Washington, D.C., Director of the Lebanon Desk, MFA Coordinator of Israel's
Negotiating Delegation to the Peace Talks with Lebanon, Political Counselor at the Embassy of Israel
in Amman, Jordan, and First Secretary and Consul at the Consulate General in Montreal.
Dr. Bence Rétvári, Minister of State for Public Administration and Justice of Hungary. From 2011
Vice-President of the Christian Democratic People's Party. Minister since 2010. Member of Parliament
since 2008. Till 2010 Member of the General Assembly of the Municipality of Budapest. Till 2010
President of theYoung Christian Democratic Union (IKSZ). Attorney at law.Graduated formPázmány
Péter Catholic University, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, Budapest.
Anne-Marie Revcolevschi, President of The Aladdin Project, graduated from the Sorbonne. After a
long career in higher education including serving as Director of International Cooperation at the French
Ministry of Education, Research and Technology, she joined Presidents Simone Veil and David de
Rothschild, as Director General of the Foundation for the Memory of the Shoah (FMS), the largest of
its kind in Europe. She launched The Aladdin Project, while still at the FMS in March 2009 .Today,
this international NGO is a leader in raising awareness of the holocaust and combating racism, antiSemitism and denial in the Muslim world through extensive educational and cultural programs.
Imam Dr Mufti Abduljalil Sajid, Faith based social entrepreneur in Sussex.Imam Brighton Islamic
Mission UK. Vice Chair MCB Inter-faith Relations Committee and Adviser to the Muslim Council
of Britain (MCB) Europe and International Affairs Committee - (MCB EIAC) and founding member
of MCB since 1997; President Religions for Peace UK and Deputy President of European WCRP - 32
Religions for Peace and Adviser to European Council of Religious Leaders/Religions for Peace -(ECRL)
since 2000;Deputy President and International Secretary World Congress of Faiths -(WCF) since 2001;
European Representative of World Council of Muslims Inter-faithRelations (WCMIR) since 1999.
Michael Salberg, has served as ADL’s Associate National Director and Director of International Affairs
since July 2006. Prior to that Michael was ADL’s General Counsel from the time he joined ADL in
2003. In addition to his duties as General Counsel, Michael also served as Deputy Chief Operating
Officer until December 2005 and then as Special Assistant to the National Director. In 2001, represented
ADL at the World Conference Against Racism in Durban. As ADL’s Director of International Affairs,
has represented ADL at each of the previous Global Forums and at numerous other international
conferences on anti-Semitism.
ADL is a leader in the global efforts to combat anti-Semitism and all forms of hate and in providing
resources and materials advocating on behalf of Israel in the U.S. and around the globe.
Shimon Samuels, Born in London. Studied at Hebrew University of Jerusalem; London School of
Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Paris Sorbonne. Currently, Director for International
Relations of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, based in Paris and responsible for issues of contemporary
racism and antisemitism in Europe, Latin America, and international organizations, including the United
Nations, UNESCO, Council of Europe and Organization of American States, Vatican diplomacy and
Holocaust restitution. Chair of the Journal for the Study of Antisemitism http://www.jsantisemitism.org.
and editor of its editions on Latin America and France. Laureate of the JSA Jabotinsky Award. Lead
Editor of "Antisemitism: The Generic Hatred. Essays in Memory of Simon Wiesenthal", recipient of
New York Jewish Book Council Award. Formerly, Jerusalem representative of the American Jewish
Committee and European Director of the Anti-Defamation League, Bar-Ilan University lecturer and
Deputy-Director of the Leonard Davis Institute for International Relations. Affiliated to the C-100
dialogue between the West and the world of Islam of the World Economic Forum (WEF). Chevalier
of the Legion of Honour, granted by President Chirac, he has been elected a Member of the European
Jewish Parliament based in Brussels.
Avner Shalev, served in Israel's Defense Forces for 24 years, including as bureau chief for the Chief
of Staff, and as Head of the Education Corps. He was DG of Israel's Culture Authority, and Culture
& Arts Council Chairman.
Chairman of Yad Vashem's Directorate since 1993, Shalev has equipped Yad Vashem with tools to
address Holocaust remembrance in the 21st century. He established its International School for Holocaust
Studies, created its new Museum Complex and served as chief curator of its new Holocaust History
Museum. He has accepted the Israel Prize and Spain’s Asturias Award for Yad Vashem. Shalev is a
French Legion of Honor member and recipient of Jerusalem's Worthy of the City Award.
Alan Shatter, Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence of Ireland.
Alan Shatter TD was appointed Minister by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny on 9th March 2011.
Before his appointment as Minister, held various positions on the Fine Gael Front Bench including
Spokesperson on Justice and Law Reform; Health; Labour; Defence; and Children. He served on
the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and on the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the
Constitutional Amendment on Children.
As a Fine Gael TD (Member of Irish Parliament) and an advocate of radical legal, social and
environmental reform, he published Bills across a wide range of subjects including; Victims Rights
Bill; Genetic Fingerprinting Bill; Adoption Act; Judicial Separation & Family Law Act.
Alan obtained a law degree from Trinity College Dublin and studied European Law, Politics and
Economics at Europa Instituut of the University of Amsterdam. He practiced as a family lawyer in
Dublin and is the author of “Family Law in the Republic of Ireland”.
Dr. Mario Silva, has had a distinguished career as an elected official in Canada as well as an author
and international legal scholar. In 2012, he was appointed by the Government of Canada to serve as
the 2013 Chair of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). Dr. Silva is a graduate
of the University of Toronto, the University of Sorbonne in Paris and holds a Master's degree in
International Law from Oxford University as well as a PhD in law from the National University of
Ireland in Galway. He has been honoured by the French President with the Order of the Legion of
Honour, the Order of Merit of Portugal and the Order of Rio Branco from Brazil.
Robert Singer, CEO and Executive Vice President of The World Jewish Congress, which represents
Jewish communities and organizations in 100 countries.
Mr. Singer served for 14 years as Director General and CEO of World ORT, one of the largest nongovernmental education providers. Singer spent twelve years with the Office of the Prime Minister in
Israel, serving as Consul and Head of the Prime Minister’s North America Mission.
He graduated from Tel-Aviv University with a degree in Political Science and History. He holds an
MSc. in Management Engineering from the University of Bridgeport. Singer served as an officer in
the IDF for 11 years, leaving as Lieutenant Colonel.
Dr. Charles Asher Small, (D.Phil. Oxon) is the Director of the Institute for the Study of Global
Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP). He is also the Koret Distinguished Scholar at the Hoover Institution,
Stanford University. Currently, Charles as the Director of ISGAP, runs research seminar series at
Fordham University Lincoln Centre Campus, Harvard Law School, McGill University and the
Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He has lectured internationally, speaking as an expert at eight
Parliaments and leading universities throughout the world. He has been active in human rights and
worked as a consultant and policy advisor in North America, Europe, Southern Africa, and the Middle
East. Charles specializes in social and cultural theory, globalization and national identity, socio-cultural
policy, and racism(s) – including antisemitism.
Robert Trestan, is Civil Rights Counsel for the Anti-Defamation League where he advises ADL
offices on a range of issues including hate crimes, hate speech, discrimination, religious freedom, the
monitoring of extremist groups and various legislative initiatives. Robert also serves as Project Director
of the League’s Cyberhate Response Team which works directly with the technology industry to address
to internet hate. ADL is the convener of the Anti-Cyber hate Working Groupwhich is comprised of
industry, academics, NGOs and others to build best practices for understanding, reporting upon and
responding to Internet hate. Robert’s expert commentary on civil rights issues has appeared in major
media outlets including the New York Times, Boston Globe, Fox News and NBC. Internationally, he
has consulted and provided hate crime training to NGO’s and civil society groups in Austria, Israel,
Poland and Turkey.
Prof. Shmuel Trigano, Professor of sociology of politics and religion at Paris University, founder
director of the journal of Jewish Studies Pardes, Chair of the Observatoire du monde juif dedicated to
the study of the new antisemitism. He was the editor of the journal Controverses. He published more
than 20 books in the domains of Judaism, political philosophy and social history.34
Dr. Alexandr Vondra, Former Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defense of the Czech
Republic. Together with Jáchym Topol and Ivan Lamper he founded the samizdat magazine Revolver
Revue. In 1987 he signed Charter 77. He was a co-founder of the Civic Forum. From 1990 to 1992
he worked as a foreign policy advisor to President Václav Havel. From 1992 to 1997 he worked as
the first deputy to the minister of foreign affairs. He became a negotiator during talks on the CzechGerman Declaration. From 1997-2001 he served as the Czech ambassador to the United States. From
2001 to 2002 he was the government envoy for preparations for the NATO summit in Prague. From
September 2006 to January 2007 he was the minister of foreign affairs in the first Topolánek government.
In October 2006 he was elected as a senator. On 9 January 2007 he was named deputy prime minister
for European affairs. 2010-2012 Minister of defense. He has received a number of honorary foreign
honors for his activities.
Lesley Weiss, is Director of Community Services and Cultural Affairs of NCSJ, a non-governmental
organization that advocates on behalf of Jews in the former Soviet Union. Ms. Weiss coordinates
democracy initiatives, community education, and outreach effortsin the former Soviet Union and
monitors compliance by these governments in the areas of free emigration and religious and cultural
rights. Served in 2005 as a Public Advisor to the U.S. Delegation to the OSCE Conference on AntiSemitism and Intolerance in Cordoba, Spain, and in 2007, to the follow-up Conference on Combating
Discrimination and Promoting Mutual Respect and Understanding in Bucharest, Romania. Ms. Weiss
was designated Chair of the U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad on
January 25, 2013 by President Obama. She was first appointed by the President as a Commission
Member in April 2011.
Michael Whine, is Government and International Affairs Director at the Community Security Trust.
He also acts as Defence and Security Consultant to the European Jewish Congress, and represents it
at the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
He writes regularly on antisemitism, extremist politics and terrorism and contributes the UK chapter
for the annual Antisemitism Worldwide (Kantor Center, Tel Aviv University).
He is a member of the Independent Advisors Group on Hate Crime to the UK Ministry of Justice, and in
2010 was appointed Lay Advisor to the Counter Terrorism Division of the Crown Prosecution Service.
Michelle Whiteman, is Quebec director of HonestReporting Canada, a non-profit organization
dedicated to promoting fair and accurate coverage of Israel in Canadian media. HonestReporting.
CA is an affiliate of HonestReporting.com, and has close to 30,000 members across Canada working
together to monitor and improve coverage of Israel in Canadian newspapers, TV, radio and the Internet.
Michelle obtained her civil law degree from l'Universite de Sherbrooke and her degree in common
law from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario,.
Michelle oversees Quebec operations, monitors and liaises with media in Quebec and also challenges
bias across Canada.
Sergio Widder, Director for Latin America, Simon Wiesenthal Center.
Graduated from Buenos Aires University (UBA) in Political Science and obtained an M.A. degree
from Universities Di Tella and San Andrés (Buenos Aires), in a joint program on NGO Development.
He assisted the SWC on the extradition of Nazi war criminals Erich Priebke (to Italy), and Dinko
Sakic and Nada Sakic (to Croatia). He was part of the Wiesenthal Center’s delegation at the World
Conference Against Racism (Durban I), as well as the Durban II and III meetings, the World Summit
for Sustainable Development, UN Rio+20, and successive editions of the General Assembly of the
Organization of American States. 35
Christopher Wolf, is a practicing American lawyer. He leads the global Privacy and Information
Management practice at Hogan Lovells US LLP and is resident in that firm’s Washington, DC office.
He is co-chair with MK Yuli Yoel Edelstein, Israel’s Minister of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs,
of the Inter-Parliamentary Coalition for Combating Anti-Semitism Task Force on Internet Hate, and
he has been working on how to address online hate since the early days of the Internet. MSNBC has
called Chris a “pioneer in Internet law.” Chris was the founder of and for 16 years chaired the AntiDefamation League Internet Task Force. He stays involved with Internet hate issues on behalf of the
ADL in his current role as National Chair of the ADL Civil Rights Committee. Previously, Chris chaired
the International Network Against Cyber Hate (INACH). Chris co-authored, with ADL National Chair
Abe Foxman, the forthcoming book Viral Hate: How to Contain Its Spread on the Internet (Macmillan
Palgrave 2013).