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Last update - 10:55 09/01/2009
European Jews to hold rallies supporting Israel's Gaza offensive
By Cnaan Liphshiz, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Gaza, Europe, Demonstration 

Responding to daily anti-Semitic incidents and anti-Israel protests, Dutch and Belgian Jewry have decided to stage rallies to show their support for Israel in Operation Cast Lead in Gaza, along with British, German, Austrian and Italian sister-communities.

One demonstration against Israel this week was attended by a Dutch legislator who called for "intifada" in order to "free Palestine."



Dutch Jews will hold a support rally in Hague today (Friday). The Belgian community in Antwerp is planning a similar event on Sunday in a park in the city's center. On Wednesday, some 500 Jews showed up to protest outside the Iranian embassy in Brussels.

Jewish leaders from both Holland and Belgium conceded that while the demonstrations may add to the rising tension, but add that they "cannot afford" to remain silent, as one community leader from Holland said.

Former Belgian MP Claude Marinower, who is one of Atwerp's leading Jewish figures, told Haaretz Thursday that "perhaps the situation is a bit more felt here because Antwerp and Brussels have such a small communities of 20,000 members each."

This week the home of a Jew living in one of Antwerp's immigrant neighborhoods was partially set on fire. Before that, a fire bomb was hurled at a synagogue in the town of Charleroi. In addition, unknown assailants tried to set fire to a Reform synagogue in Brussels. Another synagogue in Brussels had its windows smashed.

"I see a connection between these incidents and the inciting images that Arab television stations are showing," Marinower said. He nonetheless noted that "the situation has not reached a level that makes Jews too scared to venture into the street."

The leader of Flanders' Jewish community, Eli Ringer, said police is "very vigilant" in protecting the community. He also said police stopped a group of dozens of Muslims from staging an anti-Israeli demonstration in Antwerp's Jewish quarter this week.

As a longtime supporter and initiator of Muslim-Jewish coexistence and dialogue programs, demonstrations are a last resort for Ronny Naftaniel, head of the Hague-based pro-Zionist Center for Information and Documentation Israel. "Unfortunately, the situation requires it," he said in explaining the move.

Naftaniel added that "groups which are more anti-Israeli than they are pro-Palestinian" are demonstrating "radical behavior," as he put it, in daily protest rallies in Dutch cities.

He noted that one demonstration in Amsterdam was attended on Saturday by Socialist Dutch MP Harry van Bommel, who was filmed there calling for an uprising against Israel. He could be heard shouting: ?Intifada, intifada, Palestine free?.

In addition to the Zionist support rallies in Brussels and Amsterdam, the European Jewish Congress and its affiliated communities are planning similar events in Rome, London, Munich, Frankfurt, Berlin and Vienna next week
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  1.   Many European Jews appalled by Israel 09:58  |  Ronnie Green 09/01/09
  2.   Thank you Ronnie 1. You restore my faith in UK Jews. 10:38  |  Michael 09/01/09
  3.   Speak for yourself 10:42  |  Sandra 09/01/09
  4.   Pro Israel demonstrations : more anti-semitism 11:04  |  chris 09/01/09
  5.   hamas terrorist 19:56  |  huguette 09/01/09
  6.   Stand up and yell out with Hamas 01:16  |  Sarah 10/01/09
  7.   European Jews 13:22  |  Sam Reltih 10/01/09
  8.   The rallies will have the opposite effect 21:19  |  Gustaf Rosell 10/01/09
  9.   response to Barcelona Mr.careful 05:10  |  Zeev 11/01/09
  10.   1 and 2 05:25  |  Rab Burns 11/01/09
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  12.   British Media Anti-Israel and trying to Represent the Jewish com 16:51  |  Joshua Ereira 11/01/09
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