[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 27 (Thursday, February 13, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E237-E238]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        CONDEMNING ANTI-SEMITISM

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 13, 2003

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce, 
along with my colleague Representative Cardin, Representative Wolf, 
Representative Hoyer, Representative Lantos, Representative Wamp, 
Representative Slaughter, Representative Aderholt and Representative 
Hastings, this resolution expressing the sense of the Congress that the 
sharp escalation of anti-Semitism, including violence, throughout the 
region of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, 
OSCE, is of serious concern to the U.S. Congress and the American 
people. We should make a concerted effort in our respective countries 
to end this disturbing trend.
  Anti-Semitism is a disease that has bedeviled previous generations of 
Jews throughout the centuries and formed a black spot on human history. 
As the 20th century witnessed the nadir of extreme violence against the 
Jewish community and their institutions, we must take extraordinary 
steps to ensure this plague does not infect the 21st century to 
contaminate future generations. Yet our work is cut out for us, as this 
past year Europe witnessed a profound increase in vandalism against 
Jewish cemeteries, synagogues and cultural property, as well as mob 
assaults, fire bombings and gunfire. This year already a Jewish rabbi 
was stabbed twice in his Paris synagogue by an assailant. Thankfully, 
he was released from the hospital the same day. Certainly our own 
country is not immune, as acts of vandalism and violence continue to 
sporadically occur. As these incidents made graphically clear, silence 
is not an option when we are witnesses to insensitivity and violence.
  The Helsinki Commission, which I co-chair and on which Mr. Cardin 
serves has taken the lead in voicing concern and working for real 
change. On May 22, 2002, the Commission held a hearing to raise 
specific attention to the growing problem of anti-Semitic violence in 
the OSCE region. From that hearing a number of initiatives emerged. At 
the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Annual Session in Berlin last July, I 
introduced and successfully secured unanimous approval of a resolution 
denouncing anti-Semitism and calling for all OSCE governments to do 
more. Mr. Speaker, for the Record, I submit the text of the OSCE PA 
resolution.
  In addition, the U.S. delegation co-sponsored an unprecedented 
special session with the German delegation to further discuss the 
alarming trend with our fellow parliamentarians. In December, the 
Commission co-hosted here in Washington a parliamentary forum on anti-
Semitism with German parliamentarians, also attended by a prominent 
member of the Senate of Canada, Jerry Grafstein. At the conclusion of 
this event, myself and the German co-chair, Gert Weisskirchen, signed a 
letter of intent highlighting specific areas for further work and 
pledging to enlist the support of other parliamentarians from OSCE 
participating States. I have submitted a copy of the letter of intent, 
for the Record.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce this resolution, and I am 
eager for the House to go on record in support, making sure both the 
Congress and our government are doing everything possible to see an end 
to this

[[Page E238]]

scourge. I am especially pleased that the resolution calls for all OSCE 
participating States to ensure effective law enforcement and 
prosecution of individuals perpetrating anti-Semitic violence, as well 
as urging the parliaments of all participating States to take concrete 
legislative action at the national level. In sum, I look forward to 
working with my colleagues to continue our steadfast efforts to see an 
end to anti-Semitic violence.

         Resolution on Anti-Semitic Violence in the OSCE Region

       1. Recalling that the OSCE was among those organizations 
     which publicly achieved international condemnation of anti-
     Semitism through the crafting of the 1990 Copenhagen 
     Concluding Document;
       2. Noting that all participating States, as stated in the 
     Copenhagen Concluding Document, commit to ``unequivocally 
     condemn'' anti-Semitism and take effective measures to 
     protect individuals from anti-Semitic violence;
       3. Remembering the 1996 Lisbon Concluding Document, which 
     highlights the OSCE's ``comprehensive approach'' to security, 
     calls for ``improvement in the implementation of all 
     commitments in the human dimension, in particular with 
     respect to human rights and fundamental freedoms'', and urges 
     participating States to address ``acute problems'', such as 
     anti-Semitism;
       4. Reaffirming the 1999 Charter for European Security, 
     committing participating States to ``counter such threats to 
     security as violations of human rights and fundamental 
     freedoms, including the freedom of thought, conscience, 
     religion or belief and manifestations of intolerance, 
     aggressive nationalism, racism, chauvinism, xenophobia and 
     anti-Semitism'';
       5. Recognizing that the scourge of anti-Semitism is not 
     unique to any one country, and calls for steadfast 
     perseverance by all participating States;
       The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:
       6. Unequivocally condemns the alarming escalation of anti-
     Semitic violence throughout the OSCE region;
       7. Voices deep concern over the recent escalation in anti-
     Semitic violence, as individuals of the Judaic faith and 
     Jewish cultural properties have suffered attacks in many OSCE 
     participating States;
       8. Urges those States which undertake to return confiscated 
     properties to rightful owners, or to provide alternative 
     compensation to such owners, to ensure that their property 
     restitution and compensation programmes are implemented in a 
     nondiscriminatory manner and according to the rule of law;
       9. Recognizes the commendable efforts of many post-
     communist States to redress injustices inflicted by previous 
     regimes based on religious heritage, considering that the 
     interests of justice dictate that more work remains to be 
     done in this regard, particularly with regard to individual 
     and community property restitution compensation;
       10. Recognizes the danger of anti-Semitic violence to 
     European security, especially in light of the trend of 
     increasing violence and attacks region wide;
       11. Declares that violence against Jews and other 
     manifestations of intolerance will never be justified by 
     international developments or political issues, and that it 
     obstructs democracy, pluralism, and peace;
       12. Urges all States to make public statements recognizing 
     violence against Jews and Jewish cultural properties as anti-
     Semitic, as well as to issue strong, public declarations 
     condemning the depredations;
       13. Calls upon participating States to ensure aggressive 
     law enforcement by local and national authorities, including 
     thorough investigation of anti-Semitic criminal acts, 
     apprehension of perpetrators, initiation of appropriate 
     criminal prosecutions and judicial proceedings;
       14. Urges participating States to bolster the importance of 
     combating anti-Semitism by holding a follow-up seminar or 
     human dimension meeting that explores effective measures to 
     prevent anti-Semitism, and to ensure that their laws, 
     regulations, practices and policies conform with relevant 
     OSCE commitments on anti-Semitism; and
       15. Encourages all delegates to the Parliamentary Assembly 
     to vocally and unconditionally condemn manifestations of 
     anti-Semitic violence in their respective countries and at 
     all regional and international forums.

                            Letter of Intent


an action program: confronting and combating anti-semitism in the osce 
                                 region

       As members of the German Bundestag and U.S. Congress and 
     participants in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, we wish to 
     express our deep concern regarding the significant increase 
     in the number of anti-Semitic incidents in many countries of 
     the OSCE. We condemn anti-Semitism in all its forms. Anti-
     Semitic bigotry must have no place in our democratic 
     societies and needs to be actively opposed by all 55 
     participating States of the OSCE, including by members of 
     Parliament. The sorry lessons of the past have demonstrated 
     that the virus of anti-Semitism, when not successfully 
     resisted, will lead to terrible tragedy for the Jewish 
     people, and promote prejudice and intolerance towards other 
     minority groups.
       We affirm our commitment to work together closely to fight 
     anti-Semitism and encourage colleagues in our respective 
     legislatures, and in the legislative bodies of other OSCE 
     participating States, to develop a series of specific 
     measures to counter anti-Semitic actions and attitudes. In 
     executing our action plan we will make full use of all 
     appropriate OSCE institutions and instruments. Actions that 
     we intend to pursue are the following:
       A. Persuade other Parliaments in OSCE participating States 
     to adopt resolutions condemning anti-Semitism as the U.S 
     Congress and the German Bundestag have already done.
       B. Energize governments and other elected officials at all 
     levels in OSCE participating States to condemn forcefully and 
     publicly anti-Semitic acts, when they occur.
       C. Encourage all OSCE countries to enact appropriate 
     criminal legislation to punish anti-Semitic acts and ensure 
     that such laws are vigorously enforced.
       D. Call upon governments in OSCE participating States, if 
     they have not already done so, to adhere to international 
     instruments which, by addressing the problem of 
     discrimination, may counter anti-Semitic attitudes and 
     actions.
       E. Promote educational efforts throughout the OSCE region 
     to counter anti-Semitic stereotypes and attitudes among 
     younger people and help identify the necessary resources to 
     accomplish this goal. Encourage teachers, social workers and 
     members of the clergy to focus on anti-Semitic attitudes and 
     behavior of younger people and support the development of 
     curricula for teacher training.
       F. Consider what concrete actions may be possible within 
     the OSCE to discourage the proliferation of anti-Semitic, 
     neo-Nazi and other racist material over the Internet, while 
     preserving the right to freedom of expression.
       G. Encourage religious leaders in OSCE participating States 
     to work more closely together and consider the past 
     experiences of certain religious institutions in dealing with 
     the experience of the Holocaust.
       H. Create an OSCE parliamentarian-based ``Coalition of the 
     Willing'' to address anti-Semitic propaganda that appears to 
     be increasing rapidly in a number of OSCE partner countries. 
     Explore the possibility of using the OSCE's partnership with 
     the southern and eastern Mediterranean countries for 
     promoting this goal. We pledge to meet again in conjunction 
     with the February 2003 Winter Session of the OSCE 
     Parliamentary Assembly in Vienna to evaluate progress and 
     seek the active support and cooperation of our parliamentary 
     colleagues from other countries. On this occasion, we will 
     also determine how we can best utilize the July 2003 
     Rotterdam Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly 
     to further our common goal of combating anti-Semitism 
     throughout the OSCE region.
       Signed in Washington, D.C. on December 10, 2002.
     Christopher H. Smith,
       Member of Congress.
     Gert Weisskirchen,
       Member, German Bundestag.

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