The Netherlands
(Updated December 2003)
There are three main religious directions within Dutch
Jewry (total: 30,000, the majority living in Amsterdam): the traditional
Jewish community (Nederlands Israelitisch Kerkgenootschap), the liberal
religious Jews (Liberaal Religieuze Joden) and the Sephardic community
(Portugees Israelitisch Kerkgenootschap). The majority are well integrated
in the social and cultural life of Dutch society (total population:
16 million). In recent years the establishment of Islamic institutions
serving the 700,000-800,000 Muslims resident in the Netherlands (Moroccans,
Turks and people from former Dutch colonies) has increased and the founding
of over 30 Islamic schools demonstrates the increased influence of Islam.
At the same time, racist attacks against the Muslim population have
risen, in particular after 11 September 2001. Public statements by Imams
against homosexuality, women, the Western world etc. have meet with
displeasure in large sections of the population. Many of the radical
Muslim religious leaders publicly express their disdain of the USA or
even praise the Palestinian suicide bombers. A recent intelligence service
report suggesting that young Muslims were being recruited at mosques
for anti-Western missions in Afghanistan and elsewhere also stirred
up public feeling.
The Dutch Jewish community remains one of the targets of both extreme
right-wing and Islamic fundamentalist movements. Although no comprehensive
system for recording anti-Semitic incidents is in place, anti-Semitic
activity appears to have been increasing slowly but steadily in recent
years. Incidents such as acts of vandalism, abusive graffiti, desecration
of Jewish cemeteries and memorial sites, but also insults and threats
continue to happen. Football vandalism and Internet propaganda are among
the main focal points of anti-Semitic activities in the Netherlands.
There was also a clear link between the incidents and the restitution
of Jewish assets as well as with the events in the Israel-Palestine
conflict. In the aftermath of the 11 September attacks on the United
States 90 incidents directed against Muslims were also registered.
In the run up to parliamentary elections in May 2002 it was mainly
the party of Pim Fortuyn (LPF) which attempted to recruit votes with
xenophobic slogans, whereby in particular new immigration was addressed.
Shortly before the election Pim Fortuyn was murdered; nonetheless his
party list became the second strongest group in parliament and joined
the government coalition led by Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende.
The Dutch government has banned kosher slaughter, becoming the sixth
European country to do so. The local Agriculture Ministry informed Jewish
community leaders that they would no longer be permitted to slaughter
cows in a kosher manner [shechitah] because of “cruelty” to
animals. At the same time though, the Netherlands has implemented the
most restrained regulations of all the European countries, which have
passed the prohibition. The ban is only applicable for older, heavier
bulls – not cows or other animals. In July 2002 an arrangement
was reached in meetings with members of the Dutch Jewish Committee that
took into consideration the “needs of the Jewish community in Holland”.
The University of Leiden together with the Ministry of Internal Affairs
and the Anne Frank Foundation annually investigates the extent of extreme-right
and racist violence against minorities. The report for the year 2000
shows an increase of registered incidents from 313 (1998) to 406 (2000),
directed increasingly against asylum seekers and Jewish persons. Many
incidents were not reported however. For the first four months of 2002
a renewed increase in the number of attacks is evident. Another study
shows that the perpetrators of anti-Semitic attacks to a large extent
– but not exclusively – come from sections of the younger
second generation Moroccan population, whose level of social integration
is poor and who are influenced by Arab radio and television stations
which broadcast programmes in the Netherlands and agitate against Jews,
homosexuals and Western influences.
Although in contrast to other countries no synagogue has been set on
fire in the Netherlands, since autumn 2000 and above all in the course
of 2001 the number of anti-Semitic incidents increased; cemeteries,
monuments, synagogues and buildings housing Jewish organisations were
the target of vandals on 50 occasions. In 2001 there were 31 incidents;
in the first four months of 2002 the number of attacks, ranging from
physical assault to attacks per e-mail, rose to over 100. The unregistered
number of cases is possibly far greater though, for the numbers published
only include those incidents cited by the victims themselves and passed
on by NGOs.
1. Physical acts of violence
In March numerous reports of death threats towards Jews sent by letter,
fax and mobile phone were reported. For the months January to April
2002 six cases of physical violence and nine cases of threats of violence
were registered. In particular more and more Jews who wear the kipah
were disparaged on the streets. An American Jew was followed by a group
of persons and badly beaten up.
4 April 2002: one of the back windows of the synagogue in the Lekstraat
in Amsterdam was badly damaged during the night.
24 April 2002: a Jewish market vendor in the centre of Amsterdam was
threatened with a pistol and the words “I’ll shoot you dead”.
2. Verbal aggressions/hate speech
In 2000 the number of incidents of verbal intimidation of Jews sharply
increased; CIDI registered 32 incidents of verbal abuse. In comparison
with this figure in the first four months of 2002, 40 cases of anti-Semitic
abuse were registered by CIDI. Most of the anti-Semitic discrimination
and incidents involved the use of swastikas, the distribution of neo-Nazi
propaganda and delivering the Hitler salute.
Direct threats
The number of anti-Semitic incidents in schools and at the workplace
is growing. The slogan “Hamas, Hamas, Joden aan het gas” (Hamas,
Hamas, all Jews to the gas) and the accusation “Kankerjoden”
(cancerous growth Jews) are frequently used against the Jewish population
by native Dutch, often by children and by members of the Muslim population.
Indirect threats
During the pro-Palestinian demonstration in Amsterdam on 13 April 2002,
75 swastikas were carried amongst the 15,000-20,000 participants, almost
90% of whom were not native Dutch; Israeli and American flags were also
burned. 200 mostly non-native Dutch Moroccan young people were responsible
for the excesses during the demonstration. At other pro-Palestinian
demonstrations mainly Moroccan participants called out anti-Semitic
slogans, including the aforementioned “Hamas, Hamas, all Jews to
the gas”, a slogan that is heard repeatedly in football stadiums,
in particular by supporters of Feyenoord Rotterdam; anti-Semitic symbols
were also visible. It was also noticed that such chants have long become
the norm in football stadiums.
On 31 July 2002 Feyenoord Rotterdam Football Club held an open day during
which football fans bawled anti-Semitic slogans; as there was no police
presence no action was taken.
Graffiti
In March and April the Memorials for the Murdered Jews in Wageningen
and Meppel were smeared with paint and graffiti reading “Israel
fascist state”.
Media
On 26 April 2002 an article by Hayo Meyer appeared in the daily Volkskrant
under the title “Israel misbruikt antisemitisme taboe” (Israel
abuses the anti-Semitism taboo). In the article the author used the
classical anti-Semitic stereotype that the Jews themselves are to blame
for anti-Semitism. Ronny Naftaniel, director of the CIDI, was given
the opportunity on 2 May to reply to the accusation and criticise Meyer.
Gretta Duisenberg, wife of European Central Bank President Wim Duisenberg,
has hung a Palestinian flag from her balcony and was accused by some
people to have made anti-Semitic statements. This initiated a broad
public debate.
Internet
According to the CIDI, the Internet plays an important role in spreading
anti-Semitism. Of the 550 complaints about the Internet registered by
the Discrimination Internet Registration Centre in 2001, 203 concerned
anti-Semitic incidents. In 2001 197 anti-Semitic homepages were located
on the Internet; in the first four months of 2002 the number had already
reached 87.
3. Research studies
The Eurobarometer survey commissioned by the EUMC for the year 2000
showed that the proportion of Dutch who are to be characterised as “tolerant”
towards minorities lies far above the European average.
The survey commissioned by the ADL conducted between 9 and 29 September
2002 concerning “European Attitudes towards Jews, Israel and the
Palestinian-Israeli Conflict” (see Table: Report on Belgium) established
that compared to the other nine countries included in the surveys one
finds the lowest percentage of anti-Semitic attitudes among the Dutch.
48% agreed with the statement that “Jews are more loyal to Israel
than to this country” whereby 20 % agreed to the statement “Jews
have too much power in the business world”.
4. Good practices for reducing prejudices, violence and aggression
A network comprising of many organisations is active against racism,
organises demonstrations and annual activities within the programme
of the national Anti-Racism Day held in March. Two successful educational
programmes were conducted in Dutch schools: “School without racism”
and “A world of differences”. The CIDI youth group and the
youth organisation of the Moroccan association Tans (Towards A New State)
organised a joint meeting at the beginning of July 2002 to get to know
one another better and to plan more joint projects and events in the
future. CIDI demanded of the responsible offices and in particular from
the government the establishment of an initiative (Overlegorgaan Religie
en Levenbeschouwing) which shall be devoted to religious and general
life issues in daily co-existence between the various religions, above
all with a focus on transgressing boundaries in relation to persons
of different faith.
5. Reactions by politicians and other opinion leaders
On 31 May 2002 the member of parliament Boris Dittrich from the D 66
party submitted an inquiry to the Justice and Interior Ministers as
to what measures the state intends to undertake concerning the anti-Semitic
attacks in 2001 and 2002, presented on 30 May 2002, which showed a drastic
increase in anti-Semitic incidents.
Sources:
C.R.I.F. - Released by the European Jewish Congress |