Far-right parties made dramatic gains in the June 9 European parliamentary elections. Israel supporters celebrated, anticipating the exit of some of the worst purveyors of anti-Israel hatred. Even so, European Jewish Association (EJA) chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin advises caution.
While acknowledging that he isn’t sorry to see “the biggest antisemites” exit Europe’s parliament and saying he understands the excitement of many about the right-wing gains, Margolin told JNS that “the rise of far-right parties is something that requires all of us to be really careful; to analyze very carefully the situation.”
While Europe’s right has expressed support for Israel, that doesn’t necessarily translate into support for European Jewish life. “Many of them and, of course, many of their supporters, hate Jews no less than they hate Muslims,” he said.
It’s “absolutely” possible there could arise a situation where a far-right party’s rise will be good for Israel but bad for the Jews of that country, he said.
While many far-right parties support Israel, almost all, with the notable exception of Hungary’s Fidesz Party headed by Viktor Orbán, oppose ritual slaughter and circumcision.
Clinging to its values is what sustained the Jewish people for 3,000 years, Margolin noted, but those values are not congruent with far-right European values.
EJA is still sifting out those political actors it can work with from those it cannot. “We need to analyze what are the policies of the different political parties,” said Margolin. “We could work with some of them, but it has to be in a very specific, very practical, very detailed way.”
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Author: Ruth King
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