Thursday, March 28th | 18 Adar II 5784

Subscribe
May 25, 2014 11:00 am
14

Netanyahu Says Belgian Prime Minister is Only European Leader to Call Him About Anti-Semitism

× [contact-form-7 404 "Not Found"]

avatar by Algemeiner Staff

Israeli PM Netanyahu at his weekly cabinet meeting. Photo: Screenshot.

Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu told Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo that his phone call on Sunday following the slaying of four people at the Jewish Museum in Brussels, including two Israelis, was the only call he had received from a European leader on the issue of rising anti-Semitism on the continent, according to a statement from his office.

The Belgian Prime Minister expressed shock over the murders, condemned all manifestations of anti-Semitism, and sent his condolences to the families of the victims in the call to update Netanyahu on details of the ongoing investigation into the slayings, according to the prime minister’s office.

Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked his Belgian counterpart for the call and offered to cooperate with the investigation, the statement said. He added, “As of now, you are the only European leader who has called me on this issue. I am very disturbed by the growing anti-Semitism in Europe. There must be zero tolerance for anti-Semitism toward Jews and their state.”

The killings took place on Saturday and the shooter quickly left the scene. Police have yet to confirm a motive in the attack, although the Jewish nature of the crime scene has led leaders to speak out against anti-Semitism in Europe.

“This act of murder is the result of constant incitement against Jews and their state,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement sent to reporters.

“I urge all the leaders of Europe – do not take anti-Semitic incidents lightly,” President Peres said in his own a statement.

In a statement at his government’s weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said, “There are elements in Europe that rush to condemn the construction of a flat in Jerusalem but do not rush to condemn – or offer only weak condemnations of – the murder of Jews here or in Europe itself and, even worse, welcome unity with a terrorist element such as Hamas, which calls for the destruction of the State of Israel.”

“We oppose such hypocrisy, we protest against it, we will continue to always state the truth, we will continue to fight terrorism and we will continue to build up our state,” he concluded.

Share this Story: Share On Facebook Share On Twitter

Let your voice be heard!

Join the Algemeiner

Algemeiner.com

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.