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News Releases 2023

Paris-Groningen, 13 March 2023

In an open letter to Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of the Netherlands, the European office of the Wiesenthal Centre urged the competent Dutch authorities to ban the upcoming “Israel Apartheid Week” at the University of Groningen (see poster below) and apparently on other campuses, organized by the infamous BDS Campaign (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, targeting exclusively Israel and the Jews).

13 March 2023

Paris, 7 March 2023

In an open letter to France24 Director, Vanessa Burggraf, Wiesenthal Centre’s Director for International Relations, Dr Shimon Samuels, highlighted a report by CAMERA Arabic on France24 Middle East correspondents.
See: https://www.camera.org/article/the-antisemitic-social-media-divas-of-france24-arabic/

After having repeatedly documented the biased terminology used by several of these correspondents in covering Israeli-Arab relations, the report investigated their social media footprint over the past decade, revealing cases of open admiration for Hitler, banalization of the Holocaust, glorification of terrorists and justification of violence against Jews... Some quotes:

Paris and Buenos Aires, 25 February 2023

A letter to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, from Drs Shimon Samuels and Ariel Gelblung, Directors for International Relations and of Latin America respectively

Mr. President,

We are aware that Brazil strictly condemns antisemitism, and as such, our findings below are an explicit violation of the law.

According to the Brazilian penal code, it is illegal to write, edit, publish, or sell literature that promotes antisemitism or racism. The law provides penalties of up to five years in prison for crimes of racism or religious intolerance and enables courts to fine or imprison for two to five years anyone who displays, distributes, or broadcasts antisemitic or racist material.

We are certain that this case is an exact example of the Brazilian penal code.

Paris, 23 February 2023

In a letter to recently elected President of Slovenia, Nataša Pirc Musar, the Wiesenthal Centre Director for International Relations, Dr Shimon Samuels, referred to antisemitism in Slovenian media.

“Madam President, the Wiesenthal Centre is aware of your country’s programmes to commemorate the murder of 90% of the Slovenian Jewish community in the Holocaust,” stated Samuels, adding, “We are also aware that your country has adopted the IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance) Definition of Antisemitism, as well as the Definition of anti-Roma discrimination.”

The letter continued, “Nevertheless, our attention has been drawn to expressions of antisemitism, xenophobia, calls to violence, conspiracy theories, fake news, glorification of dictatorships and terrorist organizations on the national public broadcasting company, Radiotelevizija Slovenija (RTV Slovenija) – including its website rtvslo.si and social media outlets. Reportedly, the moderator allowing this sort of hateful expression is a well-known journalist.”

Paris, 14 February 2023

Dear Madam Prime Minister,

Representing the Wiesenthal Centre last night at the CRIF dinner, I was greatly impressed to learn about your family’s history during the Holocaust.

14 February 2023
Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne and Dr Samuels at the 13 February CRIF dinner.