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Preventing and combating antisemitism in Europe

Doc. 15539: compendium of written amendments | Doc. 15539 | 21/06/2022 | Final version

Compendium index

Amendment 1

Caption: AdoptedRejectedWithdrawnNo electronic votes

ADraft Resolution

1The Parliamentary Assembly is deeply concerned by the rising hatred and violence against Jewish people in Europe in the past years. It notes with regret that due to these manifestations of antisemitism a considerable number of Jewish families have left Europe, or are considering leaving Europe.
2Antisemitism is an attack against human rights and needs to be addressed in a human rights framework. It represents a threat to democracy and is in contradiction with the fundamental values on which the Council of Europe was built. It is of concern for us all. Preventing and combating antisemitism must be considered a political priority.
3Antisemitism online has recently dramatically increased, leading to the widening dissemination of conspiracy myths. The Assembly regrets the emergence of conspiracy ideologies, blaming Jewish communities for the creation and propagation of the Covid-19 pandemic, amongst others. The Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine has also brought another echo to antisemitic conspiracy ideologies in Europe. Antisemitism is built on harmful stereotypes which make the Jewish community a scapegoat for any emerging crisis. Addressing antisemitic conspiracy myths is an essential part of the fight against antisemitism. Investing in history, education and the fight against Holocaust denial and distortion is of crucial importance. The Assembly therefore welcomes the adoption by the Committee of Ministers of its Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)5 on passing on remembrance of the Holocaust and preventing crimes against humanity, on 17 March 2022.
4The Assembly welcomes the development of international efforts to prevent and combat antisemitism such as the adoption of national strategies on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life by several States, the appointment of special envoys and co-ordinators on combating antisemitism, including the appointment of a Special Representative of the Council of Europe Secretary General on antisemitic, anti Muslim and other forms of religious intolerance and hate crimes, and the adoption of an European Union Strategy on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life (2021-2030). Sufficient funding for the implementation these strategies needs to be guaranteed. Fostering Jewish life and raising awareness about Jewish culture are essential tools for preventing and combating hatred, as well as enabling people to live an openly Jewish life.
5Referring to its Resolution 1563 (2007) “Combating anti-Semitism in Europe” and its Resolution 2106 (2016) “Renewed commitment in the fight against antisemitism in Europe”, the Assembly recognises that the overall context has changed and that there are new challenges in the fight against antisemitism. It fully supports the work of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) and welcomes the adoption in 2021 of its revised General Policy Recommendation No. 9 on preventing and combating antisemitism. The non-legally binding working definition of antisemitism of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, in the light of ECRI’s opinion, provides useful guidance in the fight against the phenomenon.

21 June 2022

Tabled by Mr Fourat BEN CHIKHA, Ms Margreet De BOER, Ms Laura CASTEL, Mr Momodou Malcolm JALLOW, Mr Simon MOUTQUIN, Mr Christophe LACROIX, Ms Ada MARRA

Votes: 28 in favor 60 against 17 abstentions

In the draft resolution, at the end of paragraph 5, insert the following sentences:

"However, ECRI also acknowledges that this definition "does not reflect a consensus within academic scholarship" and that some critics indicate that it "is not suitable as a legal text for various reasons" and "would regard all criticism of Israel as antisemitic and would stifle free speech". Many states and organizations that have adopted the IHRA definition use it only partially or with their own guidelines. The Jerusalem Declaration against Antisemitism, drafted in 2020 by 210 academics and now with 350 signatories provides a more complete definition of antisemitism. This definition is more precise than the definition of the IHRA: it corrects its ambiguities and integrates the fight against antisemitism into an intersectional framework while retaining its specialities. It also preserves the possibility of a public debate on the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

Explanatory note

These modifications advise using the JDA rather than the IHRA definition

6In the light of these considerations, the Assembly calls on Council of Europe member and observer States, as well as on all States whose parliaments enjoy partner for democracy status, to:
6.1adopt strategies or national action plans to prevent and combat antisemitism and to promote Jewish life and allocate sufficient funding for their implementation;
6.2criminalise denying, trivialising or condoning the Holocaust, if that is not yet the case;
6.3ensure that the desecration and profanation of Jewish property and monuments are condemned;
6.4in case of a criminal offence, ensure that a motive based on “race”, national or ethnic origin, religion or belief is an aggravating factor;
6.5sign and ratify Protocol No. 12 to the European Convention on Human Rights (ETS No. 177), where it is not yet the case;
6.6sign and ratify the Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime, concerning the criminalisation of acts of a racist and xenophobic nature committed through computer systems (ETS No. 189), if this has not yet been done;
6.7fully implement ECRI’s revised General Policy Recommendation No. 9 on preventing and combating antisemitism;
6.8apply legislation criminalising antisemitic and other forms of hate speech, make the fight against antisemitism online a priority, take specific action to sanction online hate speech, including financial fines, and call on the accountability of social media to remove antisemitic content;
6.9appoint a special envoy or co-ordinator on combating antisemitism, where it is not yet the case;
6.10use the non-legally binding working definition of antisemitism of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, in the light of ECRI’s opinion, as a practical guideline for action to prevent and combat antisemitism, if this is not yet the case;
6.11improve the recording and collection of official data on antisemitic incidents, train police officers, prosecutors, and judges on preventing and combating antisemitism, encourage victims and witnesses of antisemitic violence and harassment to report incidents to the authorities and support victims of antisemitic violence and harassment with specialised support services;
6.12develop and sustain co-operation between national authorities, Jewish communities and civil society organisations to map and address issues pertaining to antisemitism;
6.13make teaching about the Holocaust a priority in programmes at secondary level, train teachers on preventing and combating antisemitism, and support the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe;
6.14launch awareness-raising programmes on preventing and combating antisemitism, which would contribute to deconstructing conspiracy ideologies and stereotypes and encourage interfaith and intercultural dialogue;
6.15abolish public financial allowances of organisations promoting antisemitism;
6.16adopt an intersectional approach in the fight against antisemitism and support research into the gender dimension of antisemitism.
7With a view to fostering Jewish life in Europe, the Assembly also calls on member States to:
7.1ensure the security of Jewish communities living in Europe and of Jewish religious and cultural premises;
7.2together with representatives of Jewish communities and experts on Jewishness, develop and support programmes aiming at sharing information about Jewish culture and traditions, such as the pathfinders’ programmes;
7.3support Jewish educational and cultural structures, such as Jewish museums, and programmes, and promote visits and exchanges for students.
8With regard to Holocaust remembrance, the Assembly calls on Council of Europe member and observer States, as well as on all States whose parliaments enjoy partner for democracy status to implement Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)5 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on passing on remembrance of the Holocaust and preventing crimes against humanity. The Assembly pledges to continue organising Holocaust remembrance ceremonies during its first part-sessions.
9The Assembly calls on political parties to take strong measures where there are manifestations of antisemitism, or any form of hate speech, in its instances, and political leaders to clearly speak out against antisemitism and other forms of hatred.
10The Assembly also asks national parliaments to:
10.1carry out awareness-raising activities aimed at preventing and combating antisemitism, in co-operation with the No Hate Parliamentary Alliance whenever possible;
10.2organise events on Holocaust remembrance, distortion and denial and debates on combating all forms of hatred, including antisemitism;
10.3create parliamentary groups on combating all forms of hatred, including antisemitism;
10.4publicly and resolutely condemn expressions of antisemitism and other forms of hatred by parliamentarians.
11Recognising that sport is an important vector for communicating positive behaviours to a wide public, in particular to young people, the Assembly calls on sports federations and clubs to participate in the fight against antisemitism and encourages them to adopt codes of conduct condemning it, launch awareness-raising campaigns and sanction hate speech.
12The Assembly expresses its support for civil society organisations working to prevent and combat antisemitism and other forms of hatred and calls for an increase in their financial assistance.