Labour&nbsp;leader&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-labour-leader-corbyn-i-would-stay-neutral-in-a-second-brexit-referendum-264124">Jeremy Corbyn</a> on Tuesday declined repeated invitations to&nbsp;apologise&nbsp;to Britain's Jews&nbsp;after&nbsp;the country's most senior rabbi suggested anti-Semitism was a "new poison" within the main opposition party, which had been "sanctioned from the very top".

Corbyn was asked several times in a BBC television interview if he would like to offer his apologies to the British Jewish community over his perceived failure to clamp down on the problem within the left-wing party.

"What I'll say is this: I am determined that our society is safe for people of all faiths," Corbyn said.

"I don't want anyone to be feeling insecure in our society and our government will protect every community against the abuse they receive."

In an unprecedented intervention ahead of the December 12 snap general election, Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis suggested Corbyn was "unfit for high office".

Labour&nbsp;has been dogged by allegations about widespread anti-Semitism among members since Corbyn, 70,&nbsp;a lifelong supporter of Palestinian causes,&nbsp;took over as a leader&nbsp;in 2015.

In a speech earlier Tuesday to launch a package of race and faith policies, Corbyn hit back at the charges, branding anti-Semitism "vile and wrong".

"There is no place whatsoever for anti-Semitism," he said.&nbsp;

"We have a rapid and effective system" for dealing with complaints, he said, "and that process is constantly under review".

The comments contrasted starkly with the assessment of Mirvis.

In a scathing commentary in The Times newspaper, Mirvis wrote that the veteran socialist was responsible for "a failure of leadership" which was "incompatible with the British values of which we are so proud".

"How complicit in prejudice would a&nbsp;leader&nbsp;of Her Majesty's opposition have to be to be considered unfit for office?" he asked, adding British Jews were justifiably "gripped by anxiety" ahead of the election.

The chief rabbi said it was not his place to tell anyone who to support next month but he advised: "every person to vote with their conscience".

Mirvis dismissed claims&nbsp;Labour&nbsp;was doing everything it could to deal with anti-Semitism as a "mendacious fiction"

Corbyn told the BBC: "No, he's not right. Because he would have to produce the evidence to say that's mendacious."

Watch: Jeremy Corbyn refuses to apologise over anti-semitism claims

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/jeremy-corbyn-refuses-to-apologise-over-anti-semitism-264753/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

'Sense of insecurity'

The anti-Semitism controversy came to a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-pm-johnson-and-labour-leader-corbyn-battle-it-out-on-first-televised-debate-brexit-still-at-large-263259">head within&nbsp;Labour&nbsp;in February</a>, when nine MPs quit the party, citing the leadership's handling of the issue.

Two former&nbsp;Labour&nbsp;lawmakers spoke out Tuesday in support of Mirvis's condemnation.

"It is heartbreaking to see a party so many of us joined to fight racism and which had such a proud record of fighting for equality reduced to this," said Ian Austin, who left&nbsp;Labour&nbsp;in February.

"Corbyn &amp; co should be so ashamed," he wrote on Twitter.

Meanwhile, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the highest-ranking Anglican cleric, said the intervention by Mirvis "ought to alert us to the deep sense of insecurity and fear felt by many British Jews".

The Muslim Council of Britain said it also supported Mirvis speaking out but also claimed that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's governing Conservatives had likewise failed to deal with allegations of Islamophobia in their ranks.&nbsp;

"This is an issue that is particularly acute in the Conservative Party who have approached Islamophobia with denial, dismissal and deceit," it added.

Deep divisions

A 2016 report by Shami Chakrabarti, the former head of civil rights group Liberty, concluded the&nbsp;Labour&nbsp;party was "not overrun by anti-Semitism".

But others disagreed and the Equality and Human Rights Commission has launched a formal inquiry into whether&nbsp;Labour&nbsp;"unlawfully discriminated against, harassed or victimised people because they are Jewish".

The row has exposed deep divisions between&nbsp;Labour&nbsp;members denouncing Corbyn's complacency, and his hard-left supporters who defend him to the hilt.

At Tuesday's unveiling of its "race and faith" manifesto, the party had hoped to move beyond the damaging topic with a set of wide-ranging proposals aimed at improving&nbsp;social&nbsp;justice and human rights and promoting racial equality.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on Tuesday declined repeated invitations to apologise to Britain's Jews after the country's most senior rabbi suggested anti-Semitism was a "new poison" within the main opposition party, which had been "sanctioned from the very top".

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on Tuesday declined repeated invitations to apologise to Britain's Jews after the country's most senior rabbi suggested anti-Semitism was a "new poison" within the main opposition party, which had been "sanctioned from the very top". Corbyn was asked several times in a BBC television interview if he would like to offer his apologies to the British Jewish community over his perceived failure to clamp down on the problem within the left-wing party. "What I'll say is this: I am determined that our society is safe for people of all faiths," Corbyn said. "I don't want anyone to be feeling insecure in our society and our government will protect every community against the abuse they receive." In an unprecedented intervention ahead of the December 12 snap general election, Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis suggested Corbyn was "unfit for high office". Labour has been dogged by allegations about widespread anti-Semitism among members since Corbyn, 70, a lifelong supporter of Palestinian causes, took over as a leader in 2015. In a speech earlier Tuesday to launch a package of race and faith policies, Corbyn hit back at the charges, branding anti-Semitism "vile and wrong". "There is no place whatsoever for anti-Semitism," he said. "We have a rapid and effective system" for dealing with complaints, he said, "and that process is constantly under review". The comments contrasted starkly with the assessment of Mirvis. In a scathing commentary in The Times newspaper, Mirvis wrote that the veteran socialist was responsible for "a failure of leadership" which was "incompatible with the British values of which we are so proud". "How complicit in prejudice would a leader of Her Majesty's opposition have to be to be considered unfit for office?" he asked, adding British Jews were justifiably "gripped by anxiety" ahead of the election. The chief rabbi said it was not his place to tell anyone who to support next month but he advised: "every person to vote with their conscience". Mirvis dismissed claims Labour was doing everything it could to deal with anti-Semitism as a "mendacious fiction" Corbyn told the BBC: "No, he's not right. Because he would have to produce the evidence to say that's mendacious." Watch: Jeremy Corbyn refuses to apologise over anti-semitism claims 'Sense of insecurity' The anti-Semitism controversy came to a head within Labour in February, when nine MPs quit the party, citing the leadership's handling of the issue. Two former Labour lawmakers spoke out Tuesday in support of Mirvis's condemnation. "It is heartbreaking to see a party so many of us joined to fight racism and which had such a proud record of fighting for equality reduced to this," said Ian Austin, who left Labour in February. "Corbyn & co should be so ashamed," he wrote on Twitter. Meanwhile, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the highest-ranking Anglican cleric, said the intervention by Mirvis "ought to alert us to the deep sense of insecurity and fear felt by many British Jews". The Muslim Council of Britain said it also supported Mirvis speaking out but also claimed that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's governing Conservatives had likewise failed to deal with allegations of Islamophobia in their ranks. "This is an issue that is particularly acute in the Conservative Party who have approached Islamophobia with denial, dismissal and deceit," it added. Deep divisions A 2016 report by Shami Chakrabarti, the former head of civil rights group Liberty, concluded the Labour party was "not overrun by anti-Semitism". But others disagreed and the Equality and Human Rights Commission has launched a formal inquiry into whether Labour "unlawfully discriminated against, harassed or victimised people because they are Jewish". The row has exposed deep divisions between Labour members denouncing Corbyn's complacency, and his hard-left supporters who defend him to the hilt. At Tuesday's unveiling of its "race and faith" manifesto, the party had hoped to move beyond the damaging topic with a set of wide-ranging proposals aimed at improving social justice and human rights and promoting racial equality.

United Kingdom's Labour party leader Corbyn declines to apologise after anti-semitism claims

Jeremy Corbyn refuses to apologise over anti-semitism. Watch video to know more.

Jeremy Corbyn refuses to apologise over anti-semitism

Pope Francis said on Friday politicians who rage against homosexuals, gypsies and Jews remind him of Hitler.

"It is not coincidental that at times there is a resurgence of symbols typical of Nazism," Francis said in an address to participants of an international conference on criminal law.

"And I must confess to you that when I hear a speech (by) someone responsible for order or for a government, I think of speeches by Hitler in 1934, 1936," he said, departing from his prepared address.

"With the persecution of Jews, gypsies, and people with homosexual tendencies, today these actions are typical (and) represent 'par excellence' culture of waste and hate. That is what was done in those days and today it is happening again."

During the 1933-45 Nazi regime in Germany, six million Jews were killed and homosexuals and gypsies were among those sent to extermination camps.

Pope Francis did not name any politicians or countries as the targets of his criticism.

In Brazil, President Jair Bolsonaro had a history of making homophobic, racist and sexist public remarks before he took office on Jan. 1. He told one interviewer he would rather have a dead son than a gay son.

In May, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brunei-wont-enforce-gay-sex-death-penalty-after-backlash-216270">Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah extended a moratorium</a> on the death penalty to incoming legislation prohibiting gay sex, seeking to temper a global backlash led by celebrities such as George Clooney and Elton John.

The United Nations had warned Brunei it would be violating human rights by implementing Islamic laws that would allow death by stoning for adultery and homosexuality.

In recent weeks, Pope Francis has also denounced a resurgence of anti-Semitism in Europe.

On Wednesday, in improvised remarks at his general audience, he said: "Today the habit of persecuting Jews is beginning to be reborn. Brothers and sisters: this is neither human nor Christian; the Jews are our brothers and sisters and must not be persecuted! Understood?"

Last week, a Vatican cardinal said he was "disgusted" by anti-Semitic abuse directed at an 89-year-old Italian senator and Holocaust survivor, who was given police protection after receiving death threats.

In July, a European Union study said young Jewish Europeans experience more anti-Semitism than their parents, with a rise in abuse coming in emails, text messages and social media postings.

More than 80% of Jews of all ages said they felt anti-Semitism had increased on the Internet over the past five years and around 70% said they faced more hostility in public, the study found.

Pope Francis said on Friday politicians who rage against homosexuals, gypsies and Jews remind him of Hitler. "It is not coincidental that at times there is a resurgence of symbols typical of Nazism," Francis said in an address to participants of an international conference on criminal law.

Pope Francis said on Friday politicians who rage against homosexuals, gypsies and Jews remind him of Hitler. "It is not coincidental that at times there is a resurgence of symbols typical of Nazism," Francis said in an address to participants of an international conference on criminal law. "And I must confess to you that when I hear a speech (by) someone responsible for order or for a government, I think of speeches by Hitler in 1934, 1936," he said, departing from his prepared address. "With the persecution of Jews, gypsies, and people with homosexual tendencies, today these actions are typical (and) represent 'par excellence' culture of waste and hate. That is what was done in those days and today it is happening again." During the 1933-45 Nazi regime in Germany, six million Jews were killed and homosexuals and gypsies were among those sent to extermination camps. Pope Francis did not name any politicians or countries as the targets of his criticism. In Brazil, President Jair Bolsonaro had a history of making homophobic, racist and sexist public remarks before he took office on Jan. 1. He told one interviewer he would rather have a dead son than a gay son. In May, Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah extended a moratorium on the death penalty to incoming legislation prohibiting gay sex, seeking to temper a global backlash led by celebrities such as George Clooney and Elton John. The United Nations had warned Brunei it would be violating human rights by implementing Islamic laws that would allow death by stoning for adultery and homosexuality. In recent weeks, Pope Francis has also denounced a resurgence of anti-Semitism in Europe. On Wednesday, in improvised remarks at his general audience, he said: "Today the habit of persecuting Jews is beginning to be reborn. Brothers and sisters: this is neither human nor Christian; the Jews are our brothers and sisters and must not be persecuted! Understood?" Last week, a Vatican cardinal said he was "disgusted" by anti-Semitic abuse directed at an 89-year-old Italian senator and Holocaust survivor, who was given police protection after receiving death threats. In July, a European Union study said young Jewish Europeans experience more anti-Semitism than their parents, with a rise in abuse coming in emails, text messages and social media postings. More than 80% of Jews of all ages said they felt anti-Semitism had increased on the Internet over the past five years and around 70% said they faced more hostility in public, the study found.

'I think of speeches by Hitler', says Pope when politicians rage against homosexuals, gypsies and Jews

The eastern German city of Dresden has declared a "Nazi emergency" as officials warned of a rise in far-right support and violence.

The city is the birthplace of the Islamophobic Pegida movement, which holds weekly rallies here, while the anti-immigration Alternative fuer Deutschland (AfD) party won 28 per cent in September regional elections.&nbsp;

Dresden's city council on Wednesday backed a resolution against far-right extremism with the title "Nazinotstand?", or "Nazi emergency?".

It was brought by Max Aschenbach, a local councillor for left-leaning satirical party Die Partei, who told the DPA news agency that "this city has a Nazi problem".

The resolution said the city was "worried that anti-democratic, anti-pluralist, discriminatory and far-right positions which include violence" were on the rise in Dresden.

It called for a "strengthening of democratic culture", making a priority of "the protection of minorities, human rights and victims of extreme-right violence".

The motion also stressed the importance to fight "anti-Semitism, racism and Islamophobia".

The resolution was approved by 39 council member votes against 29.

It was backed by the left and liberal parties but rejected not only by the AfD members but also by centre-right Christian Democrats who said it should not have targeted right-wing extremism only.

"The title is clearly pointed," said Thomas Loeser, a council member for the Green party.

"But we, as the city community, clearly declare our support for those who oppose racism and anti-Semitism, and expect everybody else to do the same," he said.

The eastern German city of Dresden has declared a "Nazi emergency" as officials warned of a rise in far-right support and violence. The city is the birthplace of the Islamophobic Pegida movement, which holds weekly rallies here, while the anti-immigration Alternative fuer Deutschland (AfD) party won 28 per cent in September regional elections.

The eastern German city of Dresden has declared a "Nazi emergency" as officials warned of a rise in far-right support and violence. The city is the birthplace of the Islamophobic Pegida movement, which holds weekly rallies here, while the anti-immigration Alternative fuer Deutschland (AfD) party won 28 per cent in September regional elections. Dresden's city council on Wednesday backed a resolution against far-right extremism with the title "Nazinotstand?", or "Nazi emergency?". It was brought by Max Aschenbach, a local councillor for left-leaning satirical party Die Partei, who told the DPA news agency that "this city has a Nazi problem". The resolution said the city was "worried that anti-democratic, anti-pluralist, discriminatory and far-right positions which include violence" were on the rise in Dresden. It called for a "strengthening of democratic culture", making a priority of "the protection of minorities, human rights and victims of extreme-right violence". The motion also stressed the importance to fight "anti-Semitism, racism and Islamophobia". The resolution was approved by 39 council member votes against 29. It was backed by the left and liberal parties but rejected not only by the AfD members but also by centre-right Christian Democrats who said it should not have targeted right-wing extremism only. "The title is clearly pointed," said Thomas Loeser, a council member for the Green party. "But we, as the city community, clearly declare our support for those who oppose racism and anti-Semitism, and expect everybody else to do the same," he said.

German city declares 'Nazi emergency' as far-right violence rise

The German government has called on people to wear the Jewish kippa ahead of an anti-Israel protest as a demonstration of solidarity and as Jews face a spike in anti-Semitism, withdrawing an earlier warning against wearing the traditional skullcap.

At the weekend, Felix Klein, the country's commissioner on anti-Semitism sparked uproar when he said in an interview with the Funke regional press group that he could not "advise Jews to wear the kippa everywhere all the time in Germany."

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin voiced shock at Klein's warning and said it was a "capitulation to anti-Semitism" and evidence that Jews are unsafe in Germany.

Late Monday, Klein reversed course after Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman intervened.

"The state must see to it that the free exercise of religion is possible for all... and that anyone can go anywhere in our country in full security wearing a kippa," Steffen Seibert told a press conference.

In his latest statement to Funke, Klein said,&nbsp;"I call on all citizens of Berlin and across Germany to wear the kippa next Saturday if there are new, intolerable attacks targeting Israel and Jews on the occasion of al-Quds day in Berlin."

Al-Quds is an annual event against Israeli control of Jerusalem and will take place on Saturday.

Klein also addressed his earlier statements, saying that he "could no longer recommend that Jews wear the kippa everywhere in Germany should be taken as an alarm signal."

Earlier Monday, German daily Bild published a cut-out-and-use kippa in a bid to fight rising anti-Semitism.

Bild, Germany's top-selling daily newspaper, called on readers to "stand in solidarity with (their) Jewish neighbours" by making "their own kippa", bearing the star of David, to "raise the flag against anti-Semitism".

Germany, like other Western countries, has watched with alarm as anti-Semitic and other racist hate speech and violence have increased in recent years while the political climate has coarsened and grown more polarised.

Anti-Semitic crimes rose by 20 per cent in Germany last year, according to interior ministry data which blamed nine out of 10 cases on the extreme right.

The arrival in parliament of the far-right AfD party, whose leaders openly question Germany's culture of atonement for World War II atrocities, has also contributed to the change in atmosphere.

Merkel has also deplored "another form of anti-Semitism" stemming from a major asylum-seeker influx, with many coming from Muslim countries like Syria, Afghanistan or Iraq.

The Central Council of Jews in Germany has already issued several warnings about wearing the kippa in public.

In one prominent case last year, a 19-year-old Syrian man was convicted for assault after lashing out with his belt at an Israeli man wearing a Jewish skullcap while shouting "Yahudi", Jew in Arabic.

The German government has called on people to wear the Jewish kippa ahead of an anti-Israel protest as a demonstration of solidarity and as Jews face a spike in anti-Semitism, withdrawing an earlier warning against wearing the traditional skullcap.

The German government has called on people to wear the Jewish kippa ahead of an anti-Israel protest as a demonstration of solidarity and as Jews face a spike in anti-Semitism, withdrawing an earlier warning against wearing the traditional skullcap. At the weekend, Felix Klein, the country's commissioner on anti-Semitism sparked uproar when he said in an interview with the Funke regional press group that he could not "advise Jews to wear the kippa everywhere all the time in Germany." Israeli President Reuven Rivlin voiced shock at Klein's warning and said it was a "capitulation to anti-Semitism" and evidence that Jews are unsafe in Germany. Late Monday, Klein reversed course after Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman intervened. "The state must see to it that the free exercise of religion is possible for all... and that anyone can go anywhere in our country in full security wearing a kippa," Steffen Seibert told a press conference. In his latest statement to Funke, Klein said, "I call on all citizens of Berlin and across Germany to wear the kippa next Saturday if there are new, intolerable attacks targeting Israel and Jews on the occasion of al-Quds day in Berlin." Al-Quds is an annual event against Israeli control of Jerusalem and will take place on Saturday. Klein also addressed his earlier statements, saying that he "could no longer recommend that Jews wear the kippa everywhere in Germany should be taken as an alarm signal." Earlier Monday, German daily Bild published a cut-out-and-use kippa in a bid to fight rising anti-Semitism. Bild, Germany's top-selling daily newspaper, called on readers to "stand in solidarity with (their) Jewish neighbours" by making "their own kippa", bearing the star of David, to "raise the flag against anti-Semitism". Germany, like other Western countries, has watched with alarm as anti-Semitic and other racist hate speech and violence have increased in recent years while the political climate has coarsened and grown more polarised. Anti-Semitic crimes rose by 20 per cent in Germany last year, according to interior ministry data which blamed nine out of 10 cases on the extreme right. The arrival in parliament of the far-right AfD party, whose leaders openly question Germany's culture of atonement for World War II atrocities, has also contributed to the change in atmosphere. Merkel has also deplored "another form of anti-Semitism" stemming from a major asylum-seeker influx, with many coming from Muslim countries like Syria, Afghanistan or Iraq. The Central Council of Jews in Germany has already issued several warnings about wearing the kippa in public. In one prominent case last year, a 19-year-old Syrian man was convicted for assault after lashing out with his belt at an Israeli man wearing a Jewish skullcap while shouting "Yahudi", Jew in Arabic.

German government urges wearing of Jewish kippa

Germany's parliament on Friday condemned the BDS movement that demands a boycott of Israel as anti-Semitic, warning that its actions were reminiscent of the Nazis' campaign against Jews.

The Bundestag condemnation came with Israel battling a growing chorus led by the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement to shun the Eurovision Song Contest which Tel Aviv will host on Saturday.

US superstar Madonna has signed a contract to perform during the interval of the high-profile event, it was finally announced on Thursday, ending uncertainty after calls for her to boycott the event.

In its rare multi-party resolution, the German lower house said Friday that the campaign run by the BDS was "reminiscent of the most terrifying phase of German history" under Adolf Hitler's Nazi regime.

"'Don't buy' stickers of the BDS movement on Israeli products remind one of the inevitable associations with the Nazi call 'Don't buy from Jews', and other corresponding graffiti on facades and shop windows," said the non-binding resolution.

"The methods" of the BDS movement "are anti-Semitic," added the resolution put forward by Chancellor Angela Merkel's centre-right CDU-CSU bloc, coalition partner Social Democratic Party, plus the liberal FDP and the Greens parties.

With the vote, German MPs pledged to reject any financial support for the boycott movement.&nbsp;

The Bundestag will also refrain from allowing BDS and its partners to host events on its premises.

The BDS movement describes itself as a Palestinian-led action, and urges the boycott of Israeli goods, services and culture because of Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories.

However, for Sebastian Brehm of the CSU, "this is an action that has nothing to do with the criticism of the Israeli government. Rather it is clearly motivated by anti-Semitism".

Germany's parliament on Friday condemned the BDS movement that demands a boycott of Israel as anti-Semitic, warning that its actions were reminiscent of the Nazis' campaign against Jews.

Germany's parliament on Friday condemned the BDS movement that demands a boycott of Israel as anti-Semitic, warning that its actions were reminiscent of the Nazis' campaign against Jews. The Bundestag condemnation came with Israel battling a growing chorus led by the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement to shun the Eurovision Song Contest which Tel Aviv will host on Saturday. US superstar Madonna has signed a contract to perform during the interval of the high-profile event, it was finally announced on Thursday, ending uncertainty after calls for her to boycott the event. In its rare multi-party resolution, the German lower house said Friday that the campaign run by the BDS was "reminiscent of the most terrifying phase of German history" under Adolf Hitler's Nazi regime. "'Don't buy' stickers of the BDS movement on Israeli products remind one of the inevitable associations with the Nazi call 'Don't buy from Jews', and other corresponding graffiti on facades and shop windows," said the non-binding resolution. "The methods" of the BDS movement "are anti-Semitic," added the resolution put forward by Chancellor Angela Merkel's centre-right CDU-CSU bloc, coalition partner Social Democratic Party, plus the liberal FDP and the Greens parties. With the vote, German MPs pledged to reject any financial support for the boycott movement. The Bundestag will also refrain from allowing BDS and its partners to host events on its premises. The BDS movement describes itself as a Palestinian-led action, and urges the boycott of Israeli goods, services and culture because of Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories. However, for Sebastian Brehm of the CSU, "this is an action that has nothing to do with the criticism of the Israeli government. Rather it is clearly motivated by anti-Semitism".

German parliament slams boycott Israel movement as 'anti-Semitic'

US President Donald Trump on Monday entered the swirling debate over a US Congresswoman's comments regarding the Holocaust that Republicans have condemned as anti-Semitic.

The uproar began last week when Rashida Tlaib, a freshman congresswoman in the House of Representatives whose parents are Palestinian immigrants, said in an interview that she finds "a kind of calming feeling," in the fact that Palestinians were involved in creating "a safe haven for Jews."

"There's a kind of a calming feeling, I always tell folks, when I think of the Holocaust and the tragedy of the Holocaust, and the fact that it was my ancestors -- Palestinians -- who lost their land and some lost their lives," she told Yahoo's "Skullduggery" podcast on Friday.

"All of it was in the name of trying to create a safe haven for Jews, post-the Holocaust, post-the tragedy and the horrific persecution of Jews across the world at that time," she said, adding, "I love the fact that it was my ancestors that provided that."

Trump laid into Tlaib, saying the congresswoman "obviously has tremendous hatred of Israel and the Jewish people. Can you imagine what would happen if I ever said what she said, and says?"

Top House Republican Liz Cheney also seized on the remarks, saying they represented "vile anti-Semitism" and called on the House's Democratic leadership to take action.

"This must cross the line, even for them," she tweeted.

Tlaib said on Twitter her remarks were taken out of context and that "All of you who are trying to silence me will fail miserably."

She was backed up by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who said "Republicans’ desperate attempts to smear (Tlaib) &amp; misrepresent her comments are outrageous," adding that Trump and Republicans needed to apologise.

Yair Rosenberg, a writer for the online Jewish magazine Tablet, said Tlaib's comments were historically inaccurate but not anti-Semitic.&nbsp;

"Tlaib said she got a 'calming feeling' NOT about the Holocaust, but about how Palestinians gave refuge to Jews from it. This is ahistorical," he wrote on Twitter, "but it isn't anti-Semitic."

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Rashida Tlaib said she got a "calming feeling" NOT about the Holocaust, but about how Palestinians gave refuge to Jews from it. This is ahistorical (the local Arabs rioted &amp; got the British to halt Jewish immigration, and their Mufti was Hitler's ally), but it isn't anti-Semitic.
— (((Yair Rosenberg))) (@Yair_Rosenberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/Yair_Rosenberg/status/1127958445599199233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Bend The Arc, a progressive Jewish association, also defended the congresswoman.

"The attacks on Rashida Tlaib are vile &amp; baseless. She did not minimize the tragedy of the Holocaust," the group tweeted. "Shame on GOP leadership for weaponizing antisemitism &amp; Jewish trauma to attack progressive leaders of colour and push Islamophobia."

Similar accusations of anti-Semitism were levelled against Ilhan Omar, who after Tlaib is the only other Muslim in Congress after she said earlier this year that American support for Israel was driven by money from a pro-Israel lobbying group.

US President Donald Trump on Monday entered the swirling debate over a US Congresswoman's comments regarding the Holocaust that Republicans have condemned as anti-Semitic.

US President Donald Trump on Monday entered the swirling debate over a US Congresswoman's comments regarding the Holocaust that Republicans have condemned as anti-Semitic. The uproar began last week when Rashida Tlaib, a freshman congresswoman in the House of Representatives whose parents are Palestinian immigrants, said in an interview that she finds "a kind of calming feeling," in the fact that Palestinians were involved in creating "a safe haven for Jews." "There's a kind of a calming feeling, I always tell folks, when I think of the Holocaust and the tragedy of the Holocaust, and the fact that it was my ancestors -- Palestinians -- who lost their land and some lost their lives," she told Yahoo's "Skullduggery" podcast on Friday. "All of it was in the name of trying to create a safe haven for Jews, post-the Holocaust, post-the tragedy and the horrific persecution of Jews across the world at that time," she said, adding, "I love the fact that it was my ancestors that provided that." Trump laid into Tlaib, saying the congresswoman "obviously has tremendous hatred of Israel and the Jewish people. Can you imagine what would happen if I ever said what she said, and says?" Top House Republican Liz Cheney also seized on the remarks, saying they represented "vile anti-Semitism" and called on the House's Democratic leadership to take action. "This must cross the line, even for them," she tweeted. Tlaib said on Twitter her remarks were taken out of context and that "All of you who are trying to silence me will fail miserably." She was backed up by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who said "Republicans’ desperate attempts to smear (Tlaib) & misrepresent her comments are outrageous," adding that Trump and Republicans needed to apologise. Yair Rosenberg, a writer for the online Jewish magazine Tablet, said Tlaib's comments were historically inaccurate but not anti-Semitic. "Tlaib said she got a 'calming feeling' NOT about the Holocaust, but about how Palestinians gave refuge to Jews from it. This is ahistorical," he wrote on Twitter, "but it isn't anti-Semitic." Rashida Tlaib said she got a "calming feeling" NOT about the Holocaust, but about how Palestinians gave refuge to Jews from it. This is ahistorical (the local Arabs rioted & got the British to halt Jewish immigration, and their Mufti was Hitler's ally), but it isn't anti-Semitic. — (((Yair Rosenberg))) (@Yair_Rosenberg) May 13, 2019 × Bend The Arc, a progressive Jewish association, also defended the congresswoman. "The attacks on Rashida Tlaib are vile & baseless. She did not minimize the tragedy of the Holocaust," the group tweeted. "Shame on GOP leadership for weaponizing antisemitism & Jewish trauma to attack progressive leaders of colour and push Islamophobia." Similar accusations of anti-Semitism were levelled against Ilhan Omar, who after Tlaib is the only other Muslim in Congress after she said earlier this year that American support for Israel was driven by money from a pro-Israel lobbying group.

Uproar follows US congresswoman Rashida Tlaib's Holocaust remarks

Anti-Semitism Has Risen In The U.S. Despite Trump'S Pro-Israel Stance. Why Is It So?

Gravitas: Pompeo Said Trump Was Sent By God To Save Israel From Iran

Anti-Semitism Has Risen In The U.S. Despite Trump's Pro-Israel Stance. Why Is It So? Trump was the first U.S. President to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital, he even moved the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo calls him a God-send to save Israel from Iran. Despite all these, anti-semitism is on the rise in the U.S. under Trump. Why is it so? Palki decodes

Pompeo: Trump was sent by God to save Israel from Iran

Comedian <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/observers-hail-ukraines-competitive-vote-212624">Volodymyr Zelensky</a>'s election will see Ukraine led for the first time by a president of Jewish descent, in a landmark for a country with a long history of anti-Semitism.&nbsp;

The 41-year-old actor won a landslide victory against incumbent Petro Poroshenko on Sunday.&nbsp;

His triumph has been hailed as a sign of tolerance in the ex-Soviet country accused by some of having a lax attitude towards neo-Nazi groups.&nbsp;

Ukraine already has a Jewish prime minister, Volodymyr Groysman, also 41, and who is to remain in office pending parliamentary elections scheduled for October.

The chief Rabbi of Ukraine and Kiev, Moshe Reuvan Azman called Zelenky's win "a miracle."&nbsp;

"This says a lot about the maturity of the Ukrainian people," he told AFP.&nbsp;

"Relations between Ukrainians and Jews have not always been easy," he noted. &nbsp;

"Ukraine is the only country in the world, aside from Israel, where the president and prime minister are Jewish," Eduard Dolinsky, a Jewish community leader, wrote on Facebook.

Zelensky has said he considers religion to be a private affair and has christened his children in the Orthodox tradition, according to Ukrainian media.&nbsp;

While the election campaign was fierce and saw opponents exchange various insults, Zelensky's ancestry was not used as a motive for attacks.

This was far from trivial in a country where during the Soviet period, as in the rest of the USSR, being Jewish was not considered a matter of faith, but one of nationality and marked as such on identity papers.&nbsp;

Pogroms

The first Jewish massacres in what is now Ukraine date back to the 17th century, during an uprising against Polish rule led by Cossack military leader Bohdan Khmelnytsky, when thousands of Jews were killed.&nbsp;

Thousands more were killed during another revolt against the Poles in the 18th century.&nbsp;

Between 1917 and 1921, a period of fierce fighting between Russia's White and Bolshevik armies and Ukrainian nationalist armies was marked by a wave of pogroms.&nbsp;

Ukraine's Jews were almost wiped out during the Holocaust, in which some Ukrainians collaborated with Nazi authorities.

In Babi Yar, a ravine on the outskirts of Kiev, 34,000 Jews were slaughtered in just two days in one of the worst single massacres of the Holocaust.&nbsp;

Other Ukrainians risked their lives to help Jews during the Nazi occupation, however.&nbsp;

More than 2,600 Ukrainians have been recognised as "Righteous Among the Nations" by the Yad Vashem memorial centre in Jerusalem for saving Jews during World War Two.

Now independent, Ukraine has once again been singled out for alleged anti-Semitism.&nbsp;

Far-right groups played an active role on the barricades of the 2014 pro-Western Maidan revolution.&nbsp;

The uprising ousted a pro-Russia president and was followed by Moscow's annexation of Kiev's Crimea peninsula and war with separatists in eastern Ukraine.&nbsp;

Russia has denounced the pro-Western authorities in Ukraine as a "neo-Nazi" and "fascist" regime.&nbsp;

Rabbi Moshe Reuvan Azman said this is far from the case.

"The level of anti-Semitism in Ukraine is lower than in Russia and in Europe, I see it clearly," he said.&nbsp;

According to a study published last year by the American Pew Research Center, five per cent of Ukrainian adults does not want to accept Jews as fellow citizens.

This is a much lower rate than its neighbours, as the figure is at 14 per cent in Russia, 18 per cent in Poland and 22 per cent in Romania.&nbsp;

An article in the Israeli daily Haaretz said Zelensky's victory did not mean the end of anti-Semitism in Ukraine but represented "attempts to articulate a new sense of Ukrainian nationhood, one that can be more at peace with its troubled past."

Comedian Volodymyr Zelensky's election will see Ukraine led for the first time by a president of Jewish descent, in a landmark for a country with a long history of anti-Semitism.

Comedian Volodymyr Zelensky's election will see Ukraine led for the first time by a president of Jewish descent, in a landmark for a country with a long history of anti-Semitism. The 41-year-old actor won a landslide victory against incumbent Petro Poroshenko on Sunday. His triumph has been hailed as a sign of tolerance in the ex-Soviet country accused by some of having a lax attitude towards neo-Nazi groups. Ukraine already has a Jewish prime minister, Volodymyr Groysman, also 41, and who is to remain in office pending parliamentary elections scheduled for October. The chief Rabbi of Ukraine and Kiev, Moshe Reuvan Azman called Zelenky's win "a miracle." "This says a lot about the maturity of the Ukrainian people," he told AFP. "Relations between Ukrainians and Jews have not always been easy," he noted. "Ukraine is the only country in the world, aside from Israel, where the president and prime minister are Jewish," Eduard Dolinsky, a Jewish community leader, wrote on Facebook. Zelensky has said he considers religion to be a private affair and has christened his children in the Orthodox tradition, according to Ukrainian media. While the election campaign was fierce and saw opponents exchange various insults, Zelensky's ancestry was not used as a motive for attacks. This was far from trivial in a country where during the Soviet period, as in the rest of the USSR, being Jewish was not considered a matter of faith, but one of nationality and marked as such on identity papers. Pogroms The first Jewish massacres in what is now Ukraine date back to the 17th century, during an uprising against Polish rule led by Cossack military leader Bohdan Khmelnytsky, when thousands of Jews were killed. Thousands more were killed during another revolt against the Poles in the 18th century. Between 1917 and 1921, a period of fierce fighting between Russia's White and Bolshevik armies and Ukrainian nationalist armies was marked by a wave of pogroms. Ukraine's Jews were almost wiped out during the Holocaust, in which some Ukrainians collaborated with Nazi authorities. In Babi Yar, a ravine on the outskirts of Kiev, 34,000 Jews were slaughtered in just two days in one of the worst single massacres of the Holocaust. Other Ukrainians risked their lives to help Jews during the Nazi occupation, however. More than 2,600 Ukrainians have been recognised as "Righteous Among the Nations" by the Yad Vashem memorial centre in Jerusalem for saving Jews during World War Two. Now independent, Ukraine has once again been singled out for alleged anti-Semitism. Far-right groups played an active role on the barricades of the 2014 pro-Western Maidan revolution. The uprising ousted a pro-Russia president and was followed by Moscow's annexation of Kiev's Crimea peninsula and war with separatists in eastern Ukraine. Russia has denounced the pro-Western authorities in Ukraine as a "neo-Nazi" and "fascist" regime. Rabbi Moshe Reuvan Azman said this is far from the case. "The level of anti-Semitism in Ukraine is lower than in Russia and in Europe, I see it clearly," he said. According to a study published last year by the American Pew Research Center, five per cent of Ukrainian adults does not want to accept Jews as fellow citizens. This is a much lower rate than its neighbours, as the figure is at 14 per cent in Russia, 18 per cent in Poland and 22 per cent in Romania. An article in the Israeli daily Haaretz said Zelensky's victory did not mean the end of anti-Semitism in Ukraine but represented "attempts to articulate a new sense of Ukrainian nationhood, one that can be more at peace with its troubled past."

Ukraine defies anti-Semitic past with Comedian Volodymyr Zelensky victory

US President Donald Trump blasted Democrats as "anti-Israel" and "anti-Jewish" Friday after they passed a congressional measure opposing hate speech in general instead of specifically condemning alleged anti-Semitic comments by a Muslim congresswoman.

His remarks follow days of tense debates in Congress addressing sensitive questions about national allegiance, discriminatory tropes aimed at Jews, and accusations of show votes that failed to call out a member for controversial comments.

"I thought yesterday's vote by the House was disgraceful," Trump said at the White House.

The resolution was originally intended to deliver a direct rebuke of anti-Semitism following comments by a Muslim Democratic congresswoman, Ilhan Omar, that were deemed anti-Semitic and offensive by many colleagues.

But after blowback from progressives, it was revised to broadly condemn discrimination against Muslims and other minorities as well.

Trump seized on the shift, injecting a new angle of attack as he readies a 2020 re-election bid and fellow Republicans seek to claw back ground they lost in the House in last year's mid-terms.

"The Democrats have become an anti-Israel party, they've become an anti-Jewish party," he said.

The issue has caused a deep rift. Some Democrats wanted to include language condemning other forms of bigotry and expressed concerns about singling out Omar.

The resolution, which made no mention of Omar, ultimately passed 407 to 23. Republicans who voted against it complained it had been watered down.

The debate made clear that Democrats' growing diversity in Congress -- in ethnicity, religion, gender, age and ideology -- has created new challenges for the party.

Among those is a policy about Israel. Omar, a Somali refugee who resettled in Minnesota, had sparked fiery debate with her repeated criticisms of Israel and how a powerful pro-Israel lobby in Washington exerts influence on US politicians.

"I am told every day that I am anti-American if I am not pro-Israel. I find that to be problematic and I am not alone," Omar tweeted. "Our nation is having a difficult conversation."

Rise in anti-Semitic incidents

But Democrats insisted Trump was out of bounds to suggest their party was anti-Jewish.

"Mr. President, you have redefined chutzpah," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who like Trump is from New York.

"As illustrated by history and yesterday's overwhelming vote to condemn anti-Semitism, there is strong support for Israel and the Jewish faith among Democrats," congresswoman Elaine Luria, a military veteran who is Jewish, told AFP.

The debate comes amid a rise in anti-Semitic incidents across the United States. The Anti-Defamation League reported a 58 per cent increase in such incidents between 2016 and 2017.

In October a gunman killed 11 worshippers at a Pittsburgh synagogue, the deadliest attack ever on Jews in America.

Trump proclaims himself as Israel's closest ally, having moved the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and forged a close alliance with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

But Trump and other Republicans have also courted controversy with the Jewish community, and have been accused of trafficking in age-old tropes about money that anti-Semites have used to attack Jews for centuries.

Speaking to the Republican Jewish Coalition in 2015 during his presidential campaign, Trump said, "you're not going to support me because I don't want your money."

"But that's okay," he went on. "You want to control your own politician."

Trump drew outrage in 2016 with a tweet showing his rival Hillary Clinton and a Star of David with the word "corrupt" superimposed over stacks of $100 bills.

And his closing 2016 campaign ad contained alarming messaging, with images of prominent financial figures George Soros and Janet Yellen, both Jewish, as Trump speaks of "those who control the levers of power in Washington."

As president, Trump sparked a firestorm by saying there were "very fine people on both sides" at a 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, where demonstrators chanted "Jews will not replace us."

Of the 535 members of the US House and Senate, 35 are Jewish, including just two Republicans, according to the non-partisan American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise.

Pew Research Center says that among Jewish voters in the 2018 midterms, 79 per cent supported Democratic candidates.

US President Donald Trump blasted Democrats as "anti-Israel" and "anti-Jewish" Friday after they passed a congressional measure opposing hate speech in general instead of specifically condemning alleged anti-Semitic comments by a Muslim congresswoman.

US President Donald Trump blasted Democrats as "anti-Israel" and "anti-Jewish" Friday after they passed a congressional measure opposing hate speech in general instead of specifically condemning alleged anti-Semitic comments by a Muslim congresswoman. His remarks follow days of tense debates in Congress addressing sensitive questions about national allegiance, discriminatory tropes aimed at Jews, and accusations of show votes that failed to call out a member for controversial comments. "I thought yesterday's vote by the House was disgraceful," Trump said at the White House. The resolution was originally intended to deliver a direct rebuke of anti-Semitism following comments by a Muslim Democratic congresswoman, Ilhan Omar, that were deemed anti-Semitic and offensive by many colleagues. But after blowback from progressives, it was revised to broadly condemn discrimination against Muslims and other minorities as well. Trump seized on the shift, injecting a new angle of attack as he readies a 2020 re-election bid and fellow Republicans seek to claw back ground they lost in the House in last year's mid-terms. "The Democrats have become an anti-Israel party, they've become an anti-Jewish party," he said. The issue has caused a deep rift. Some Democrats wanted to include language condemning other forms of bigotry and expressed concerns about singling out Omar. The resolution, which made no mention of Omar, ultimately passed 407 to 23. Republicans who voted against it complained it had been watered down. The debate made clear that Democrats' growing diversity in Congress -- in ethnicity, religion, gender, age and ideology -- has created new challenges for the party. Among those is a policy about Israel. Omar, a Somali refugee who resettled in Minnesota, had sparked fiery debate with her repeated criticisms of Israel and how a powerful pro-Israel lobby in Washington exerts influence on US politicians. "I am told every day that I am anti-American if I am not pro-Israel. I find that to be problematic and I am not alone," Omar tweeted. "Our nation is having a difficult conversation." Rise in anti-Semitic incidents But Democrats insisted Trump was out of bounds to suggest their party was anti-Jewish. "Mr. President, you have redefined chutzpah," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who like Trump is from New York. "As illustrated by history and yesterday's overwhelming vote to condemn anti-Semitism, there is strong support for Israel and the Jewish faith among Democrats," congresswoman Elaine Luria, a military veteran who is Jewish, told AFP. The debate comes amid a rise in anti-Semitic incidents across the United States. The Anti-Defamation League reported a 58 per cent increase in such incidents between 2016 and 2017. In October a gunman killed 11 worshippers at a Pittsburgh synagogue, the deadliest attack ever on Jews in America. Trump proclaims himself as Israel's closest ally, having moved the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and forged a close alliance with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But Trump and other Republicans have also courted controversy with the Jewish community, and have been accused of trafficking in age-old tropes about money that anti-Semites have used to attack Jews for centuries. Speaking to the Republican Jewish Coalition in 2015 during his presidential campaign, Trump said, "you're not going to support me because I don't want your money." "But that's okay," he went on. "You want to control your own politician." Trump drew outrage in 2016 with a tweet showing his rival Hillary Clinton and a Star of David with the word "corrupt" superimposed over stacks of $100 bills. And his closing 2016 campaign ad contained alarming messaging, with images of prominent financial figures George Soros and Janet Yellen, both Jewish, as Trump speaks of "those who control the levers of power in Washington." As president, Trump sparked a firestorm by saying there were "very fine people on both sides" at a 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, where demonstrators chanted "Jews will not replace us." Of the 535 members of the US House and Senate, 35 are Jewish, including just two Republicans, according to the non-partisan American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise. Pew Research Center says that among Jewish voters in the 2018 midterms, 79 per cent supported Democratic candidates.

Donald Trump brands Democrats an 'anti-Israel' and 'anti-Jewish' party

Thai teen idol Namsai feared being booted from her band after a photo of her wearing a t-shirt with a Nazi swastika went viral, but without the uproar she says she would have remained ignorant about the offensive implications of her fashion choices.

As Europe battles, a surge in anti-Semitism, including the desecration of graves in France, Southeast Asia is wrestling with a lack of understanding about the provenance of Nazi paraphernalia that casually creeps into public spaces.

From swastika-adorned trinkets on sale at Thai markets to selfies with Hitler statues in Indonesia, Nazi symbols are easy to find -- a problem critics attribute to ignorance and a misplaced fascination with the fascist regime.

"I was shocked," the contrite singer said of the outcry. "But I felt it was my fault. I wasn't aware even though I should have known."

The 19-year-old is a member of BNK48, one of the most popular girl bands in the country, performing choreographed J-pop-style numbers to adoring crowds.&nbsp;

But Namsai, whose real name is Pitchayapa Natha, waded into controversy when she wore a red-and-black top showing a Nazi flag and swastika during a televised rehearsal last month, prompting the Israeli embassy to express "shock and dismay".

Namsai, who has more than 370,000 followers on Instagram, swiftly posted an apology for what she called "my mistake", met with Israeli diplomats, and offered a tearful onstage apology.

Now she says she may join them in conducting seminars on Holocaust education in Thai schools.&nbsp;

In the meantime, she is researching Nazi history on her own.

"It was a bad experience," she said. But it also presented an "opportunity" to learn, she added, citing a visit to the Holocaust memorial at the UN in Bangkok also attended by other band members.

Selfies and shirts

While Hitler's forces carried out atrocities in Europe, his Japanese allies led a scorched-earth campaign across Asia during World War II.

As a result, Japanese wartime actions are the more immediate prism through which many view the region's history.&nbsp;

The Holocaust is covered in high school textbooks in Thailand but it's "a small portion" of the world history sections, said Chalermchai Phanlert, an academic at the Education Ministry.

That means less emphasis on Nazis and their impact on Europe.

Derived from Sanskrit and with roots in India, the swastika is a commonly displayed motif in Hindu temples across Asia.

But Chalermchai said younger Thais do not fully understand the swastika's European context or Nazi history in general. Instead, Third Reich symbols are used to sell fashion and anti-establishment culture.

In September a love motel outside Bangkok sparked outcry after photos online showed a portrait of Hitler hanging in one of its themed rooms.&nbsp;

Red-and-white swastika badges, stamps, flags and other Nazi-themed trinkets are on sale at Bangkok's popular Chatuchak weekend market, while a vendor on tourist hub Khaosan Road hawks t-shirts of a naked Hitler enjoying a beach holiday.

Enthusiasm for Nazi iconography and portrayals of Hitler have earned rebukes in other Southeast Asian countries.

In 2017 an Indonesian museum that allowed visitors to take selfies with a wax sculpture of Hitler removed the exhibit following global condemnation.

But awareness of the offence caused is growing.

In Myanmar's biggest city Yangon shopkeeper Ko Ko Aung said he used to be part of the punk scene where clothes with swastikas were part of a spirit of rebellion.

Now he says he understands that "punk and Hitler are not connected".&nbsp;

'Nazi chic'

It is both "inaccurate and unhelpful" to draw a link between a vogue for Nazi chic and anti-Semitism, says Elliot Brennan of the Institute for Security and Development Policy in Stockholm.

"That is not to say that anti-Semitism does not exist in Asia but one could argue these are led more by anti-Israel positions than anti-Semitism," he said.&nbsp;

Thai history lecturer Tul Israngura Na Ayudhya said the fascination with Hitler has to be seen in context, adding that a lack of education is only part of the story.

Many countries in Asia have a complex relationship with strongmen generals and leaders who are sometimes wrongly applauded as nationalist modernisers.

He cited Mao Zedong, a figure whose policies cost countless lives but who has been the subject of nostalgia in some quarters of late.&nbsp;

And so Hitler is not necessarily "associated with the devil" by everyone in the region.

Tul teaches one of the few university courses devoted to Nazi Germany in Thailand at Chulalongkorn University, where his syllabus begins with Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel's memoir "Night".

One of his students, German major Thanapon Danpakdee, laments the carefree approach to Nazi symbols in Thailand, even when it is not meant to offend.

"I think they ignore the other side," he said.

Thai teen idol Namsai feared being booted from her band after a photo of her wearing a t-shirt with a Nazi swastika went viral, but without the uproar she says she would have remained ignorant about the offensive implications of her fashion choices.

Thai teen idol Namsai feared being booted from her band after a photo of her wearing a t-shirt with a Nazi swastika went viral, but without the uproar she says she would have remained ignorant about the offensive implications of her fashion choices. As Europe battles, a surge in anti-Semitism, including the desecration of graves in France, Southeast Asia is wrestling with a lack of understanding about the provenance of Nazi paraphernalia that casually creeps into public spaces. From swastika-adorned trinkets on sale at Thai markets to selfies with Hitler statues in Indonesia, Nazi symbols are easy to find -- a problem critics attribute to ignorance and a misplaced fascination with the fascist regime. "I was shocked," the contrite singer said of the outcry. "But I felt it was my fault. I wasn't aware even though I should have known." The 19-year-old is a member of BNK48, one of the most popular girl bands in the country, performing choreographed J-pop-style numbers to adoring crowds. But Namsai, whose real name is Pitchayapa Natha, waded into controversy when she wore a red-and-black top showing a Nazi flag and swastika during a televised rehearsal last month, prompting the Israeli embassy to express "shock and dismay". Namsai, who has more than 370,000 followers on Instagram, swiftly posted an apology for what she called "my mistake", met with Israeli diplomats, and offered a tearful onstage apology. Now she says she may join them in conducting seminars on Holocaust education in Thai schools. In the meantime, she is researching Nazi history on her own. "It was a bad experience," she said. But it also presented an "opportunity" to learn, she added, citing a visit to the Holocaust memorial at the UN in Bangkok also attended by other band members. Selfies and shirts While Hitler's forces carried out atrocities in Europe, his Japanese allies led a scorched-earth campaign across Asia during World War II. As a result, Japanese wartime actions are the more immediate prism through which many view the region's history. The Holocaust is covered in high school textbooks in Thailand but it's "a small portion" of the world history sections, said Chalermchai Phanlert, an academic at the Education Ministry. That means less emphasis on Nazis and their impact on Europe. Derived from Sanskrit and with roots in India, the swastika is a commonly displayed motif in Hindu temples across Asia. But Chalermchai said younger Thais do not fully understand the swastika's European context or Nazi history in general. Instead, Third Reich symbols are used to sell fashion and anti-establishment culture. In September a love motel outside Bangkok sparked outcry after photos online showed a portrait of Hitler hanging in one of its themed rooms. Red-and-white swastika badges, stamps, flags and other Nazi-themed trinkets are on sale at Bangkok's popular Chatuchak weekend market, while a vendor on tourist hub Khaosan Road hawks t-shirts of a naked Hitler enjoying a beach holiday. Enthusiasm for Nazi iconography and portrayals of Hitler have earned rebukes in other Southeast Asian countries. In 2017 an Indonesian museum that allowed visitors to take selfies with a wax sculpture of Hitler removed the exhibit following global condemnation. But awareness of the offence caused is growing. In Myanmar's biggest city Yangon shopkeeper Ko Ko Aung said he used to be part of the punk scene where clothes with swastikas were part of a spirit of rebellion. Now he says he understands that "punk and Hitler are not connected". 'Nazi chic' It is both "inaccurate and unhelpful" to draw a link between a vogue for Nazi chic and anti-Semitism, says Elliot Brennan of the Institute for Security and Development Policy in Stockholm. "That is not to say that anti-Semitism does not exist in Asia but one could argue these are led more by anti-Israel positions than anti-Semitism," he said. Thai history lecturer Tul Israngura Na Ayudhya said the fascination with Hitler has to be seen in context, adding that a lack of education is only part of the story. Many countries in Asia have a complex relationship with strongmen generals and leaders who are sometimes wrongly applauded as nationalist modernisers. He cited Mao Zedong, a figure whose policies cost countless lives but who has been the subject of nostalgia in some quarters of late. And so Hitler is not necessarily "associated with the devil" by everyone in the region. Tul teaches one of the few university courses devoted to Nazi Germany in Thailand at Chulalongkorn University, where his syllabus begins with Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel's memoir "Night". One of his students, German major Thanapon Danpakdee, laments the carefree approach to Nazi symbols in Thailand, even when it is not meant to offend. "I think they ignore the other side," he said.

Swastikas and statues: Southeast Asia's fixation with Nazi iconography

Anti-Semitism appears to have reached &nbsp;its worst levels since World War II, French President Emmanuel Macron told Jewish community leaders on Wednesday, a day after thousands of people took to the streets to denounce hate crimes.

The scourge has grown in recent years "<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/emmanuel-macron-denounces-unacceptable-increase-in-anti-semitic-acts-197216">and the situation has got worse in recent weeks</a>," Macron told the annual dinner of the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF).

"Our country, and for that matter all of Europe and most Western democracies, seems to be facing a resurgence of anti-Semitism unseen since World War II," he added.

Europe's biggest Jewish community is reeling after a string of attacks that have made global headlines.

Macron announced measures including legislation to fight hate speech on the internet, to be introduced by May.

He said he had asked his interior minister to take steps to ban racist or anti-Semitic groups, singling out "for a start" three far-right groups -- Bastion Social, Blood and Honour Hexagone and Combat 18 -- which he said "fuel hatred, promote discrimination or call for violence".

He also vowed that France would recognise anti-Zionism as a form of anti-Semitism.

Macron earlier balked at a call by a lawmaker in his Republic on the Move party to criminalise anti-Zionist statements, which criticise the movement that established Israel as a home for Jews.

On a visit Tuesday to a cemetery in the Alsace region, near Germany, where 96 Jewish tombstones were daubed with swastikas, Macron promised: "We shall act, we shall pass laws, we shall punish."

Also Tuesday, thousands of people, some carrying banners proclaiming "That's enough", held a rally in Paris to denounce anti-Semitism -- one of around 70 protests staged nationwide.

Macron and his government have linked the appearance of swastikas and other anti-Semitic graffiti on artworks, shopfronts and headstones to far-right and far-left elements within the "yellow vest" protest movement.

'France is ours' 
A protester caught on video hurling abuse at Jewish writer and philosopher Alain Finkielkraut during a "yellow vest" demonstration in Paris last weekend was taken into custody Tuesday in the eastern city of Mulhouse, authorities said.

Police confirmed the suspect, who has been named in French media as telephone salesman Benjamin W., was the bearded man seen on video calling 69-year-old Finkielkraut a "dirty Zionist" and telling him "France is ours" after the philosopher ran into demonstrators on the street.

Police sources described the 36-year-old suspect as a small-time delinquent with ties to ultra-conservative Muslim groups.

He was one of the most vocal members of a group that jeered Finkielkraut and called him a "racist", apparently referring to his past warnings about what he sees as the failure of Muslim immigrants to integrate into French society.

The incident caused outrage both in France and abroad, with Israel's Immigration Minister Yoav Gallant urging French Jews to "come home" to Israel for their safety.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin voiced support for Macron and Finkielkraut, calling the anti-Semitic incidents an "affront" to France.

Earlier Wednesday, Rivlin spoke with Finkielkraut to express his solidarity over the "wicked and hurtful attack."

"I heard that the demonstrators told you to go back to Tel Aviv. I am sure you know that Tel Aviv is a wonderful place but be in no doubt that every Jew, and every person, has the right to choose wherever they live", said Rivlin, who also wrote to Macron to thank him for visiting the Jewish cemetery.

Also on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by telephone with Macron, the Israeli leader's office said.

Focus on anti-Zionism 
Several officials have accused radical "yellow vest" of fomenting a climate of hatred.

The anti-government protests began three months ago over fuel taxes but quickly grew into a broader anti-establishment, anti-capitalist rebellion, with some demonstrators using anti-Semitic slurs to denigrate Macron, a former Rothschild investment banker.

The number of anti-Jewish crimes rose 74 percent last year.

Anti-Semitism has a long history in France where society was deeply split at the end of the 19th century by the Alfred Dreyfus affair over a Jewish army captain wrongly convicted of treason.

During World War II, the French Vichy government collaborated with Germany notably in the deportation of Jews to death camps.

Traditionally associated with the far right, anti-Semitism has become ingrained in the high-rise French housing estates that house many members of France's Muslim community, Europe's largest.

Jews have been targeted in several attacks by French jihadists in recent years.

But the proliferation of anti-Semitic graffiti is seen as a new trend.

In recent days, the word "Juden" was spray-painted on the window of a Paris bagel bakery and swastikas were daubed on postbox portraits of late French Holocaust survivor and women's rights icon Simone Veil.

Anti-Semitism appears to have reached its worst levels since World War II, French President Emmanuel Macron told Jewish community leaders on Wednesday, a day after thousands of people took to the streets to denounce hate crimes.

Anti-Semitism appears to have reached its worst levels since World War II, French President Emmanuel Macron told Jewish community leaders on Wednesday, a day after thousands of people took to the streets to denounce hate crimes. The scourge has grown in recent years "and the situation has got worse in recent weeks," Macron told the annual dinner of the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF). "Our country, and for that matter all of Europe and most Western democracies, seems to be facing a resurgence of anti-Semitism unseen since World War II," he added. Europe's biggest Jewish community is reeling after a string of attacks that have made global headlines. Macron announced measures including legislation to fight hate speech on the internet, to be introduced by May. He said he had asked his interior minister to take steps to ban racist or anti-Semitic groups, singling out "for a start" three far-right groups -- Bastion Social, Blood and Honour Hexagone and Combat 18 -- which he said "fuel hatred, promote discrimination or call for violence". He also vowed that France would recognise anti-Zionism as a form of anti-Semitism. Macron earlier balked at a call by a lawmaker in his Republic on the Move party to criminalise anti-Zionist statements, which criticise the movement that established Israel as a home for Jews. On a visit Tuesday to a cemetery in the Alsace region, near Germany, where 96 Jewish tombstones were daubed with swastikas, Macron promised: "We shall act, we shall pass laws, we shall punish." Also Tuesday, thousands of people, some carrying banners proclaiming "That's enough", held a rally in Paris to denounce anti-Semitism -- one of around 70 protests staged nationwide. Macron and his government have linked the appearance of swastikas and other anti-Semitic graffiti on artworks, shopfronts and headstones to far-right and far-left elements within the "yellow vest" protest movement. 'France is ours' A protester caught on video hurling abuse at Jewish writer and philosopher Alain Finkielkraut during a "yellow vest" demonstration in Paris last weekend was taken into custody Tuesday in the eastern city of Mulhouse, authorities said. Police confirmed the suspect, who has been named in French media as telephone salesman Benjamin W., was the bearded man seen on video calling 69-year-old Finkielkraut a "dirty Zionist" and telling him "France is ours" after the philosopher ran into demonstrators on the street. Police sources described the 36-year-old suspect as a small-time delinquent with ties to ultra-conservative Muslim groups. He was one of the most vocal members of a group that jeered Finkielkraut and called him a "racist", apparently referring to his past warnings about what he sees as the failure of Muslim immigrants to integrate into French society. The incident caused outrage both in France and abroad, with Israel's Immigration Minister Yoav Gallant urging French Jews to "come home" to Israel for their safety. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin voiced support for Macron and Finkielkraut, calling the anti-Semitic incidents an "affront" to France. Earlier Wednesday, Rivlin spoke with Finkielkraut to express his solidarity over the "wicked and hurtful attack." "I heard that the demonstrators told you to go back to Tel Aviv. I am sure you know that Tel Aviv is a wonderful place but be in no doubt that every Jew, and every person, has the right to choose wherever they live", said Rivlin, who also wrote to Macron to thank him for visiting the Jewish cemetery. Also on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by telephone with Macron, the Israeli leader's office said. Focus on anti-Zionism Several officials have accused radical "yellow vest" of fomenting a climate of hatred. The anti-government protests began three months ago over fuel taxes but quickly grew into a broader anti-establishment, anti-capitalist rebellion, with some demonstrators using anti-Semitic slurs to denigrate Macron, a former Rothschild investment banker. The number of anti-Jewish crimes rose 74 percent last year. Anti-Semitism has a long history in France where society was deeply split at the end of the 19th century by the Alfred Dreyfus affair over a Jewish army captain wrongly convicted of treason. During World War II, the French Vichy government collaborated with Germany notably in the deportation of Jews to death camps. Traditionally associated with the far right, anti-Semitism has become ingrained in the high-rise French housing estates that house many members of France's Muslim community, Europe's largest. Jews have been targeted in several attacks by French jihadists in recent years. But the proliferation of anti-Semitic graffiti is seen as a new trend. In recent days, the word "Juden" was spray-painted on the window of a Paris bagel bakery and swastikas were daubed on postbox portraits of late French Holocaust survivor and women's rights icon Simone Veil.

Anti-Semitism worst since WWII, Macron tells Jewish group

French President Emmanuel Macron will announce measures to fight a flare-up in anti-Semitism during a dinner with Jewish community leaders Wednesday, a day after a spate of hate crimes brought thousands onto the streets in protest.

Macron's address to the annual dinner of the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions will be closely followed by Europe's biggest Jewish community.

On a visit Tuesday to a cemetery in the Alsace region, near Germany, where 96 Jewish tombstones were spray-painted with blue and yellow swastikas, Macron promised Tuesday: "We shall act, we shall pass laws, we shall punish."

His visit came as thousands of people took part in rallies around France to condemn a recent spike in anti-Jewish crimes, which Macron and his government has linked in part to anti-Semitic elements within the "yellow vest" protest movement.

On Tuesday evening, a protester caught on video hurling abuse at Jewish writer and philosopher Alain Finkielkraut during a "yellow vest" demonstration in Paris last weekend was taken into custody in the eastern city of Mulhouse.

Authorities confirmed the suspect, who has been named in French media as telephone salesman Benjamin W., was the bearded man seen on video calling 69-year-old Finkielkraut a "bloody Zionist" and telling him "France is ours" after the philosopher ran into demonstrators on the street.

The suspect, who wore a green "keffiyeh" scarf, was one of the most vocal members of a group that jeered Finkielkraut and called him a "racist", apparently referring to the academic's repeated warnings about what he sees as the failure of Muslim immigrants to integrate into French society.

On Tuesday, thousands of people, some carrying banners proclaiming "That's enough", took to the streets of Paris to denounce the rise in anti-Semitic acts and attacks -- one of around 70 protests staged nationwide.

Focus on anti-Zionism

Several officials have accused the "yellow vest" movement, which includes far-right and far-left elements, over the outpouring in anti-Semitism.

The protests began three months ago over fuel taxes but quickly grew into a broader anti-establishment, anti-capitalist rebellion, with some demonstrators using anti-Semitic slurs to denigrate Macron, a former Rothschild investment banker.

A recent Ifop poll of "yellow vest" backers found that nearly half of those questioned believed in a worldwide "Zionist plot" and other conspiracy theories.

But the number of anti-Semitic incidents reported to police had already risen before the "yellow vests" began occupying roundabouts last November, up by 74 percent last year.

Anti-Semitism has a long history in France where society was deeply split at the end of the 19th century by the Alfred Dreyfus affair, a Jewish army captain wrongly convicted of treason.

During World War II, the French Vichy government collaborated with Germany notably in the deportation of Jews to death camps.

Traditionally associated with the far right, anti-Semitism has shot up in the French Muslim community, also Europe's largest, in the past two decades, with Jews the target of several attacks by French jihadists.

Some French politicians have called for a crackdown on statements that criticise the Zionist movement which established the Jewish homeland, calling them code for anti-Jewish hatred.&nbsp;

But others argue that criticising Zionism or Israeli policies is not the same as anti-Jewish prejudice.

Macron has argued that criminalising anti-Zionist remarks is "not a good solution" and said he will set out other proposals on Wednesday.

French President Emmanuel Macron will announce measures to fight a flare-up in anti-Semitism during a dinner with Jewish community leaders Wednesday, a day after a spate of hate crimes brought thousands onto the streets in protest.

French President Emmanuel Macron will announce measures to fight a flare-up in anti-Semitism during a dinner with Jewish community leaders Wednesday, a day after a spate of hate crimes brought thousands onto the streets in protest. Macron's address to the annual dinner of the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions will be closely followed by Europe's biggest Jewish community. On a visit Tuesday to a cemetery in the Alsace region, near Germany, where 96 Jewish tombstones were spray-painted with blue and yellow swastikas, Macron promised Tuesday: "We shall act, we shall pass laws, we shall punish." His visit came as thousands of people took part in rallies around France to condemn a recent spike in anti-Jewish crimes, which Macron and his government has linked in part to anti-Semitic elements within the "yellow vest" protest movement. On Tuesday evening, a protester caught on video hurling abuse at Jewish writer and philosopher Alain Finkielkraut during a "yellow vest" demonstration in Paris last weekend was taken into custody in the eastern city of Mulhouse. Authorities confirmed the suspect, who has been named in French media as telephone salesman Benjamin W., was the bearded man seen on video calling 69-year-old Finkielkraut a "bloody Zionist" and telling him "France is ours" after the philosopher ran into demonstrators on the street. The suspect, who wore a green "keffiyeh" scarf, was one of the most vocal members of a group that jeered Finkielkraut and called him a "racist", apparently referring to the academic's repeated warnings about what he sees as the failure of Muslim immigrants to integrate into French society. On Tuesday, thousands of people, some carrying banners proclaiming "That's enough", took to the streets of Paris to denounce the rise in anti-Semitic acts and attacks -- one of around 70 protests staged nationwide. Focus on anti-Zionism Several officials have accused the "yellow vest" movement, which includes far-right and far-left elements, over the outpouring in anti-Semitism. The protests began three months ago over fuel taxes but quickly grew into a broader anti-establishment, anti-capitalist rebellion, with some demonstrators using anti-Semitic slurs to denigrate Macron, a former Rothschild investment banker. A recent Ifop poll of "yellow vest" backers found that nearly half of those questioned believed in a worldwide "Zionist plot" and other conspiracy theories. But the number of anti-Semitic incidents reported to police had already risen before the "yellow vests" began occupying roundabouts last November, up by 74 percent last year. Anti-Semitism has a long history in France where society was deeply split at the end of the 19th century by the Alfred Dreyfus affair, a Jewish army captain wrongly convicted of treason. During World War II, the French Vichy government collaborated with Germany notably in the deportation of Jews to death camps. Traditionally associated with the far right, anti-Semitism has shot up in the French Muslim community, also Europe's largest, in the past two decades, with Jews the target of several attacks by French jihadists. Some French politicians have called for a crackdown on statements that criticise the Zionist movement which established the Jewish homeland, calling them code for anti-Jewish hatred. But others argue that criticising Zionism or Israeli policies is not the same as anti-Jewish prejudice. Macron has argued that criminalising anti-Zionist remarks is "not a good solution" and said he will set out other proposals on Wednesday.

Emmanuel Macron to unveil measures to fight anti-Semitism

Since the end of World War II, American Jews have lived in relative peace and prosperity, convinced that anti-Semitic attacks were a horror left long behind them.

But the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/synagogue-gunman-kills-11-in-americas-worst-anti-semitic-attack-173906">massacre of 11 people</a> at a Pittsburgh synagogue on Saturday was a brutal reminder that those days are back, resurrected by the advance of extremism and polarization in the Trump era, and fueled by the hatred voiced on social networks.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-not-welcome-in-pittsburgh-174314">Trump 'not welcome' in Pittsburgh</a>

American Jews -- some 5.3 million people, including non-practising Jews, according to the Pew Research Center -- had an "illusory sense of invulnerability," said Jacques Berlinerblau, a professor of Jewish civilization at Georgetown University in Washington.

"European Jews never had that sense.

"Now, that sense of invulnerability has been shattered," he said, echoing sentiments expressed widely by Jewish Americans on social media since a gunman stormed the Tree of Life synagogue.

Kenneth Jacobson, deputy head of the Anti-Defamation League, which combats anti-Semitism and discrimination, said it has been a progressive awakening for American Jews about the dangers they face.

Over the past two decades, "what we were often hearing from American Jews was, 'Why is ADL still in business? anti-Semitism in the US is no longer a problem,'" Jacobson said.

But with the rise in the number of attacks on Jewish targets in France and across Europe in recent years, "there was more of a conversation in the Jewish community, anti-Semitism was more on people's minds," he added.

Invulnerability shattered 
Many were jolted last year when neo-Nazis paraded through the city of Charlottesville, Virginia, chanting "Jews will not replace us," while there has been marked rise in recent years in the number of swastikas being painted on walls and bomb threats against Jewish institutions.

"There is a recognition that anti-Semitism is here as well," Jacobson said.

In February, the ADL reported a 57 percent leap in the number of anti-Semitic incidents in 2017, the sharpest yearly spike since the 1970s.

With midterm elections looming, anti-Semitic attacks, in particular against Jewish journalists, have multiplied recently in online forums, according to a new ADL study that listed a number of hashtags and code words used by white supremacists.

Among the most widespread were #NWO, standing for the "New World Order" which Jewish elites are accused by racists of preparing, and "globalist," an expression often associated with the Jewish billionaire philanthropist George Soros, a favorite target of far-right extremists.

He was one of a slew of Trump critics targeted by mail bombs last week.

"There is a new technology of terror and this technology has not been good for the Jews," said Berlinerblau.&nbsp;

In that context, he admitted the shooting in Pittsburgh was not really a "shock... but a slow moving train wreck."

"Everyone recognizes there is much more of this coming, with the guns in this country," Berlinerblau said.

'Dark times' 
Many American Jews have now accepted that extremism is on the rise &nbsp;-- &nbsp;a sentiment expressed by parents dropping off their kids at the large Jewish community center in New York's Upper West Side on Monday.

"It's a really scary time," said Jana Gold, a 42-year-old mother of two living in the city, the country's largest Jewish community with more than a million members. "I think these are just dark times."

"It just contributes to the overall climate" of violence and divisiveness during the Trump era, she added, even though the president's son-in-law is Jewish and his daughter Ivanka converted to the faith. &nbsp;

Trump "really seems to capitalize on this divisiveness," Gold said, "whereas with our past presidents, Democrats and Republicans, there was a lot more hope, they were still trying to get people together rather than tear us apart."

For 69-year-old Bob Dorf, who dropped his four-year-old grandson off at the center's kindergarten, the president "is trying to get votes by fomenting violence."

Before Pittsburgh, there had been swastikas and graffiti, said the university professor, but nothing on this scale.

"My biggest fear is how many more attacks like these there will be?" he said.

Like many of the great Jewish institutions of New York, the community center is protected by measures that aren't exactly new: an armed guard at the front, and airport-style screening for visitors with bag checks and metal detectors.

Even as the mayor of New York announced heightened protections for Jewish institutions, Jacobson of the ADL said American Jews must not succumb to living in a state of fear like their European counterparts.

"The beauty of American Jewish life is that there was a sense that we are completely equal citizens, and we want to find that right balance between protecting ourselves, our children, our institutions, but also find that natural comfort level we have as Americans and as American Jews," he said.

"America has been overall a great place for Jews, particularly over the past 50-60 years, and we want to keep it that way."

Since the end of World War II, American Jews have lived in relative peace and prosperity, convinced that anti-Semitic attacks were a horror left long behind them.

Since the end of World War II, American Jews have lived in relative peace and prosperity, convinced that anti-Semitic attacks were a horror left long behind them. But the massacre of 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue on Saturday was a brutal reminder that those days are back, resurrected by the advance of extremism and polarization in the Trump era, and fueled by the hatred voiced on social networks. Also read: Trump 'not welcome' in Pittsburgh American Jews -- some 5.3 million people, including non-practising Jews, according to the Pew Research Center -- had an "illusory sense of invulnerability," said Jacques Berlinerblau, a professor of Jewish civilization at Georgetown University in Washington. "European Jews never had that sense. "Now, that sense of invulnerability has been shattered," he said, echoing sentiments expressed widely by Jewish Americans on social media since a gunman stormed the Tree of Life synagogue. Kenneth Jacobson, deputy head of the Anti-Defamation League, which combats anti-Semitism and discrimination, said it has been a progressive awakening for American Jews about the dangers they face. Over the past two decades, "what we were often hearing from American Jews was, 'Why is ADL still in business? anti-Semitism in the US is no longer a problem,'" Jacobson said. But with the rise in the number of attacks on Jewish targets in France and across Europe in recent years, "there was more of a conversation in the Jewish community, anti-Semitism was more on people's minds," he added. Invulnerability shattered Many were jolted last year when neo-Nazis paraded through the city of Charlottesville, Virginia, chanting "Jews will not replace us," while there has been marked rise in recent years in the number of swastikas being painted on walls and bomb threats against Jewish institutions. "There is a recognition that anti-Semitism is here as well," Jacobson said. In February, the ADL reported a 57 percent leap in the number of anti-Semitic incidents in 2017, the sharpest yearly spike since the 1970s. With midterm elections looming, anti-Semitic attacks, in particular against Jewish journalists, have multiplied recently in online forums, according to a new ADL study that listed a number of hashtags and code words used by white supremacists. Among the most widespread were #NWO, standing for the "New World Order" which Jewish elites are accused by racists of preparing, and "globalist," an expression often associated with the Jewish billionaire philanthropist George Soros, a favorite target of far-right extremists. He was one of a slew of Trump critics targeted by mail bombs last week. "There is a new technology of terror and this technology has not been good for the Jews," said Berlinerblau. In that context, he admitted the shooting in Pittsburgh was not really a "shock... but a slow moving train wreck." "Everyone recognizes there is much more of this coming, with the guns in this country," Berlinerblau said. 'Dark times' Many American Jews have now accepted that extremism is on the rise -- a sentiment expressed by parents dropping off their kids at the large Jewish community center in New York's Upper West Side on Monday. "It's a really scary time," said Jana Gold, a 42-year-old mother of two living in the city, the country's largest Jewish community with more than a million members. "I think these are just dark times." "It just contributes to the overall climate" of violence and divisiveness during the Trump era, she added, even though the president's son-in-law is Jewish and his daughter Ivanka converted to the faith. Trump "really seems to capitalize on this divisiveness," Gold said, "whereas with our past presidents, Democrats and Republicans, there was a lot more hope, they were still trying to get people together rather than tear us apart." For 69-year-old Bob Dorf, who dropped his four-year-old grandson off at the center's kindergarten, the president "is trying to get votes by fomenting violence." Before Pittsburgh, there had been swastikas and graffiti, said the university professor, but nothing on this scale. "My biggest fear is how many more attacks like these there will be?" he said. Like many of the great Jewish institutions of New York, the community center is protected by measures that aren't exactly new: an armed guard at the front, and airport-style screening for visitors with bag checks and metal detectors. Even as the mayor of New York announced heightened protections for Jewish institutions, Jacobson of the ADL said American Jews must not succumb to living in a state of fear like their European counterparts. "The beauty of American Jewish life is that there was a sense that we are completely equal citizens, and we want to find that right balance between protecting ourselves, our children, our institutions, but also find that natural comfort level we have as Americans and as American Jews," he said. "America has been overall a great place for Jews, particularly over the past 50-60 years, and we want to keep it that way."

American Jews confront rising tide of anti-Semitism

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday offered an apology after he was criticised for anti-Semitism for a speech in which he suggested that historic persecution of European Jews had been caused by their conduct, not by their religion.

Abbas condemned anti-Semitism and called the Holocaust the "most heinous crime in history" in a statement issued by his office in Ramallah after a four-day meeting of the Palestinian National Council (PNC).

The statement said: "If people were offended by my statement in front of the PNC, especially people of the Jewish faith, I apologize to them. I would like to assure everyone that it was not my intention to do so, and to reiterate my full respect for the Jewish faith, as well as other monotheistic faiths."&nbsp

Abbas condemned anti-Semitism and called the Holocaust the "most heinous crime in history" in a statement issued by his office in Ramallah after a four-day meeting of the Palestinian National Council (PNC).

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday offered an apology after he was criticised for anti-Semitism for a speech in which he suggested that historic persecution of European Jews had been caused by their conduct, not by their religion. Abbas condemned anti-Semitism and called the Holocaust the "most heinous crime in history" in a statement issued by his office in Ramallah after a four-day meeting of the Palestinian National Council (PNC). The statement said: "If people were offended by my statement in front of the PNC, especially people of the Jewish faith, I apologize to them. I would like to assure everyone that it was not my intention to do so, and to reiterate my full respect for the Jewish faith, as well as other monotheistic faiths."

Palestinian leader Abbas offers apology for remarks on Jews

Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu lashed out at Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday morning following his speech in which he said that the Holocaust was the result of Jewish behavior and not anti-Semitism.&nbsp;

On Monday, Abbas addressed the Palestinian National Council in Ramallah, telling attendees that Jews had suffered historically not because of their religion but because they had served as bankers and money lenders.

Abbas'remarks on Holocaust have been under suspicion for a long time because of his academic work in which he gave space to an argument that disputed the death of 6 million Jews in the Holocaust, claiming that less than one million were killed.&nbsp;

“It would appear that, once a Holocaust denier, always a Holocaust denier,” Netanyahu said on Twitter.

“I call upon the international community to condemn the grave anti-Semitism of Abu Mazen (Abbas), which should have long since passed from this world.”

Abbas said in his speech that Jews living in Europe had suffered massacres “every 10 to 15 years in some country since the 11th century and until the Holocaust”.

Citing books written by various authors, Abbas argued: “They say hatred against Jews was not because of their religion, it was because of their social profession. So the Jewish issue that had spread against the Jews across Europe was not because of their religion, it was because of usury and banks.”

Jason Greenblatt, the US Special Representative for International Negotiations, also criticized Abbas’ remarks. Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) said Abbas revealed his true nature when speaking in Arabic, rather than English.

Abbas’ spokesman Nabil Abu Rdainah declined comment on the criticism.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

On Monday, Abbas addressed the Palestinian National Council in Ramallah, telling attendees that Jews had suffered historically not because of their religion but because they had served as bankers and money lenders

Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu lashed out at Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday morning following his speech in which he said that the Holocaust was the result of Jewish behavior and not anti-Semitism. On Monday, Abbas addressed the Palestinian National Council in Ramallah, telling attendees that Jews had suffered historically not because of their religion but because they had served as bankers and money lenders. Abbas'remarks on Holocaust have been under suspicion for a long time because of his academic work in which he gave space to an argument that disputed the death of 6 million Jews in the Holocaust, claiming that less than one million were killed. “It would appear that, once a Holocaust denier, always a Holocaust denier,” Netanyahu said on Twitter. “I call upon the international community to condemn the grave anti-Semitism of Abu Mazen (Abbas), which should have long since passed from this world.” Abbas said in his speech that Jews living in Europe had suffered massacres “every 10 to 15 years in some country since the 11th century and until the Holocaust”. Citing books written by various authors, Abbas argued: “They say hatred against Jews was not because of their religion, it was because of their social profession. So the Jewish issue that had spread against the Jews across Europe was not because of their religion, it was because of usury and banks.” Jason Greenblatt, the US Special Representative for International Negotiations, also criticized Abbas’ remarks. Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) said Abbas revealed his true nature when speaking in Arabic, rather than English. Abbas’ spokesman Nabil Abu Rdainah declined comment on the criticism.

Netanyahu accuses Palestinian leader of Holocaust denial, anti-Semitism

Muslim Americans have helped raise more than $91,000 to repair vandalised headstones at a Jewish cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri, according to an online fundraising page, amid attacks and threats against Jewish institutions.&nbsp;

US&nbsp;vice president Mike Pence visited the graveyard on Wednesday and told clean-up volunteers, state officials and reporters that there was no place in America for hatred, violence, anti-Semitism or acts of prejudice.&nbsp;

&quot;I must tell you the people of Missouri are inspiring the nation by your love and care of this place, for the Jewish community in Missouri and I want to thank you for that inspiration,&quot; Pence said.

About 170 headstones were toppled or damaged at the century-old Chesed Shel Emeth Society cemetery over the weekend, according to cemetery staff.&nbsp;

Some Jewish groups described the vandalism and threats as the latest evidence that anti-Semitic groups have been emboldened by the election of Donald Trump as US&nbsp;president. His campaign last year drew the support of white nationalists and right-wing groups, despite his disavowals of them.

&quot;Muslim Americans stand in solidarity with the Jewish-American community to condemn this horrific act of desecration,&quot; the fundraisers said on their website.

More than 3,000 people had donated $91,583 by late Wednesday afternoon. Cemetery staff declined comment on the fundraising.

Jewish community centres across the United States have reported a surge in bomb threats, all of which have so far proved to be hoaxes.&nbsp;

On Wednesday the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish advocacy group, said its national headquarters in New York City received an anonymous bomb threat but was later given the all clear.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered state police to investigate and work with federal and local law enforcement. In a statement, Cuomo said the threats were &quot;now a national crisis&quot; because of their regularity.

Trump condemned the previous threats as anti-Semitism for the first time on Tuesday after repeatedly declining to do so when asked by journalists last week. Some Jewish organizations have criticized his approach.

The fundraising effort was launched by Linda Sarsour, a liberal political activist, and Tarek El-Messidi, the founding director of Celebrate Mercy, a non-profit organisation that teaches the public about Mohammad, the founder of Islam.

Sarsour was a supporter of US&nbsp;Senator Bernie Sanders in his bid to become the Democratic Party&#39;s presidential candidate, and was one of the organizers of the Women&#39;s March on Washington on Jan. 21, the day after Trump&#39;s inauguration.

(Reuters)

About 170 headstones were toppled or damaged at the century-old Chesed Shel Emeth Society cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri over the weekend

Muslim Americans have helped raise more than $91,000 to repair vandalised headstones at a Jewish cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri, according to an online fundraising page, amid attacks and threats against Jewish institutions. US vice president Mike Pence visited the graveyard on Wednesday and told clean-up volunteers, state officials and reporters that there was no place in America for hatred, violence, anti-Semitism or acts of prejudice. "I must tell you the people of Missouri are inspiring the nation by your love and care of this place, for the Jewish community in Missouri and I want to thank you for that inspiration," Pence said. About 170 headstones were toppled or damaged at the century-old Chesed Shel Emeth Society cemetery over the weekend, according to cemetery staff. Some Jewish groups described the vandalism and threats as the latest evidence that anti-Semitic groups have been emboldened by the election of Donald Trump as US president. His campaign last year drew the support of white nationalists and right-wing groups, despite his disavowals of them. "Muslim Americans stand in solidarity with the Jewish-American community to condemn this horrific act of desecration," the fundraisers said on their website. More than 3,000 people had donated $91,583 by late Wednesday afternoon. Cemetery staff declined comment on the fundraising. Jewish community centres across the United States have reported a surge in bomb threats, all of which have so far proved to be hoaxes. On Wednesday the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish advocacy group, said its national headquarters in New York City received an anonymous bomb threat but was later given the all clear. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered state police to investigate and work with federal and local law enforcement. In a statement, Cuomo said the threats were "now a national crisis" because of their regularity. Trump condemned the previous threats as anti-Semitism for the first time on Tuesday after repeatedly declining to do so when asked by journalists last week. Some Jewish organizations have criticized his approach. The fundraising effort was launched by Linda Sarsour, a liberal political activist, and Tarek El-Messidi, the founding director of Celebrate Mercy, a non-profit organisation that teaches the public about Mohammad, the founder of Islam. Sarsour was a supporter of US Senator Bernie Sanders in his bid to become the Democratic Party's presidential candidate, and was one of the organizers of the Women's March on Washington on Jan. 21, the day after Trump's inauguration. (Reuters)

Muslim Americans raise over $91,000 for vandalised Jewish cemetery in Missouri

A regional lawmaker for the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) quit late on Tuesday after a row over his allegedly anti-Semitic views had threatened to cause a damaging split in the party. 
 
Wolfgang Gedeon, a former doctor turned AfD lawmaker, triggered outrage by saying that denial of the Nazi Holocaust, in which six million Jews were killed, was a legitimate expression of opinion. Holocaust denial is a crime in Germany. 
 
On Tuesday evening he said he hoped to prevent the split within the party by tendering his resignation from the parliamentary group following a meeting with AfD national leader Frauke Petry, according to German media reports. 
 
The AfD has won growing popular support in Germany due in part to Europe&#39;s migrant crisis, which has seen more than a million refugees arrive in the country over the past year, and it now has seats in eight of Germany&#39;s 16 state assemblies. 
 
Thirteen lawmakers from the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the southern German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg had earlier quit the AfD&#39;s regional parliamentary group after ten other members did not support a motion to expel Gedeon. 
 
Joerg Meuthen, the leader of the AfD parliamentary group in Baden-Wuerttemberg and the party&#39;s co-chair at the national level, led Tuesday&#39;s split. He and 12 others left the regional parliamentary group, which originally comprised 23 lawmakers. 
 
&quot;Anti-Semitism cannot and must not have any place in the AfD,&quot; Meuthen said. 
 
Meuthen said Gedeon&#39;s resignation did not change the fact that other members had supported him and was quoted by ARD public broadcaster as saying the split remained a &quot;painful but necessary step&quot;. 
 
The AfD parliamentary group had previously rejected an attempt by Meuthen for Gedeon to be expelled from the party. Instead, they suspended his membership pending an independent review of his written work. 
 
The national leaders of the AfD said in a statement that there was no room for anti-Semitism in the party and criticised those in the state who resisted Gedeon&#39;s expulsion. 
 
&quot;The board distances itself from those members who do not leave the parliamentary group with Joerg Meuthen. From now on we recognise only Joerg Meuthen and the lawmakers who join him as representatives of the AfD in the Baden-Wuerttemberg assembly,&quot; said the board in a statement. 
 
An INSA poll published on Tuesday put nationwide support for the AfD at 14.5 per cent, up 0.5 percentage points from the previous survey. Chancellor Angela Merkel&#39;s conservative bloc were on 30 per cent and her centre-left coalition partners, the Social Democrats, on 21 per cent. 
 
Germany holds a federal parliamentary election next year. 
 
In May, AfD Vice Chair Alexander Gauland caused a storm by saying Germans would not want to live next door to national soccer star Jerome Boateng, born in Berlin to a Ghanaian father. 
 
(Reuters)

A regional lawmaker for the party quit late Tuesday after stating Holocaust denial is a legitimate expression of opinion

A regional lawmaker for the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) quit late on Tuesday after a row over his allegedly anti-Semitic views had threatened to cause a damaging split in the party. Wolfgang Gedeon, a former doctor turned AfD lawmaker, triggered outrage by saying that denial of the Nazi Holocaust, in which six million Jews were killed, was a legitimate expression of opinion. Holocaust denial is a crime in Germany. On Tuesday evening he said he hoped to prevent the split within the party by tendering his resignation from the parliamentary group following a meeting with AfD national leader Frauke Petry, according to German media reports. The AfD has won growing popular support in Germany due in part to Europe's migrant crisis, which has seen more than a million refugees arrive in the country over the past year, and it now has seats in eight of Germany's 16 state assemblies. Thirteen lawmakers from the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the southern German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg had earlier quit the AfD's regional parliamentary group after ten other members did not support a motion to expel Gedeon. Joerg Meuthen, the leader of the AfD parliamentary group in Baden-Wuerttemberg and the party's co-chair at the national level, led Tuesday's split. He and 12 others left the regional parliamentary group, which originally comprised 23 lawmakers. "Anti-Semitism cannot and must not have any place in the AfD," Meuthen said. Meuthen said Gedeon's resignation did not change the fact that other members had supported him and was quoted by ARD public broadcaster as saying the split remained a "painful but necessary step". The AfD parliamentary group had previously rejected an attempt by Meuthen for Gedeon to be expelled from the party. Instead, they suspended his membership pending an independent review of his written work. The national leaders of the AfD said in a statement that there was no room for anti-Semitism in the party and criticised those in the state who resisted Gedeon's expulsion. "The board distances itself from those members who do not leave the parliamentary group with Joerg Meuthen. From now on we recognise only Joerg Meuthen and the lawmakers who join him as representatives of the AfD in the Baden-Wuerttemberg assembly," said the board in a statement. An INSA poll published on Tuesday put nationwide support for the AfD at 14.5 per cent, up 0.5 percentage points from the previous survey. Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative bloc were on 30 per cent and her centre-left coalition partners, the Social Democrats, on 21 per cent. Germany holds a federal parliamentary election next year. In May, AfD Vice Chair Alexander Gauland caused a storm by saying Germans would not want to live next door to national soccer star Jerome Boateng, born in Berlin to a Ghanaian father. (Reuters)

Germany's anti-immigrant AfD party embroiled in row over anti-Semitism

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