U.S., Poland to host ‘ministerial’ on the Middle East
The U.S. State Department on Friday issued the following statement:
The “Ministerial to Promote a Future of Peace and Security in the Middle East,” held jointly by the United States and Poland, will take place in Warsaw, Poland on February 13-14. We have received very positive responses from our partners and allies around the world, with dozens of countries expressing their willingness and intention to participate in this constructive dialogue.
This Ministerial will be an opportunity for countries to share their perspectives both from within and outside the region. This includes a conversation on current regional crises as well as international efforts to address them. During the Ministerial, participants will also discuss the following topics:
- Regional crises and their effects on civilians in the Middle East;
- Missile development and proliferation;
- Cyber security and emerging threats to the energy sector; and
- Countering extremism and illicit finance.
Countries will come together to prioritize these regional challenges, share information, and discuss how we can cooperate more effectively to address them. There will be a press briefing held at the conclusion of the Ministerial to summarize the event’s discussions as well. — From U.S. State Department
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Czech Deputies adopt international working definition of anti-Semitism
The American Jewish Committee (AJC) has applauded the House of Deputies of the Czech Parliament for adopting the international working definition of anti-Semitism.
“The Czech Republic once again demonstrates its solidarity with the Jewish People,” said AJC CEO David Harris, who has visited the country and met with its leaders on numerous occasions. “We heartily commend the House of Deputies for working toward this important step.”
The vote to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism, took place just two days before International Holocaust Remembrance Day, and only minutes after the annual commemoration event of the Czech government. There, the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House, and other top Czech officials, including EU Commissioner Věra Jourová , discussed the importance of combating anti-Semitism as the most significant way to remember the Holocaust. President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament Radek Vondráček stated, “Evil and lies have one name – anti-Semitism.”
The Czech Senate, the upper chamber of the Parliament, has scheduled a vote on the adoption of the Definition for next week. — From American Jewish Committee
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Hearing in Belgian court on ban against kosher slaughter
A hearing took place in the Constitutional Court of Belgium on Thursday in the case against legislation banning kosher and halal slaughter. The lawsuit was brought by the Belgian Federation of Jewish Organizations (CCOJB), the representative body of Belgian Jews, with support from The Lawfare Project, a legal think tank and litigation fund that files legal cases against anti-Jewish discrimination around the world.
The CCOJB and Lawfare Project’s lawsuit challenges legislation passed by Belgium’s two biggest regional parliaments, Flanders and Wallonia, that makes traditional kosher and halal slaughter methods illegal in Belgium. The ban came into effect in Flanders at the start of this year and will be imposed in Wallonia this summer. Half of Belgium’s Jewish population, and the majority of Belgium’s kosher meat preparation, now halted by the ban, is based in Flanders.
The CCOJB and Lawfare Project’s lawsuit argues that the ban on religious slaughter methods violates the religious freedoms guaranteed in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. The European Court of Human Rights has previously described kosher slaughter as “an essential aspect of practice of the Jewish religion.”
The Coordinating Council of Islamic Institutions in Belgium also filed a lawsuit against what is seen by many as an attack on religious freedom. During Thursday’s hearing, the court heard from a wide variety of plaintiffs. It will now decide whether to reach a decision itself or to refer the case to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.
Jewish communities in Europe are sensitive to attacks on their religious freedoms, including those involving kosher meat. On April 21, 1933, less than three months after Hitler came to power, the Nazis banned kosher slaughter as one of their first legislative assaults on German Jews.
Brooke Goldstein, the Executive Director of The Lawfare Project, which is supporting the lawsuit said:
“Belgian Jews regard this as an assault on their religious freedom. Belgium’s courts will recognize the ban for what it is – discrimination and hostility against minority faith communities.” — From the Lawfare Project
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JCPA protests decision to permit religious discrimination against foster parents
The Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) strongly opposes the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) decision to grant a waiver authorizing a government-funded South Carolina foster agency to discriminate against prospective foster parents on the basis of religion. The waiver sanctions taxpayer-funded discrimination and harms foster children, one of society’s most vulnerable populations.
“With this waiver, Miracle Hill and other South Carolina foster agencies can can turn away otherwise qualified foster parents if they are Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, or LGBT—all while more children suffer. Neither the federal nor the state government should be financing discrimination. It’s unlawful and immoral,” said David Bernstein, President and CEO of JCPA. “Children should never be denied a safe, loving home simply because of a prospective parent’s faith, race, or sexual orientation, especially in a state where 4,600 children are already in foster care and an additional 1,500 foster homes are needed.”
Despite receiving taxpayer dollars, Miracle Hill Ministries requires that its employees, volunteers, and foster parents share its fundamentalist Christian faith, a policy that caught the South Carolina Department of Social Services’ attention after a Jewish woman was reportedly turned away due to her faith.
JCPA believes this waiver sets a dangerous precedent and will oppose this decision. — From the Jewish Council for Public Affairs
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Rep. Susan Davis says government shutdown should have been ended long ago
U.S. Rep. Susan Davis had this reaction to President Trump’s announcement that agreement had been reached between congressional leaders and himself over temporarily ending the government shutdown:
“While I’m glad the President has decided to listen to reason, this could have happened five weeks ago thus avoiding the unnecessary suffering by the American people, who overwhelmingly don’t want a wall.
“The top priority now is to ensure federal workers get paid what they are owed, including back pay.
“I encourage the President and the Republican Party to take stock of this shutdown and come to the conclusion that the only thing they achieve is causing pain. We need to come together in a bipartisan manner to get fully informed of the most efficacious approach to our border security options.” — From Rep. Susan Davis
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Preceding items culled from news releases. Please send yours to editor@sdjewishworld.com