SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTRE
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Wiesenthal Centre Lauds President of European Parliament for Reprimanding Member Party's Antisemitic Booklet

Paris, 22 March 2007

In a letter to Hans-Gert Pöttering, President of the European Parliament, the Simon Wiesenthal Centre's Director for International Relations, Dr Shimon Samuels, recalled their meeting, together with the Centre's Associate Dean Rabbi Abraham Cooper, "to discuss containing resurgent antisemitism in Europe, including the Judeophobic phantoms in the twelve - predominantly East European - new member states. "

In that vein, the letter applauded Pöttering's reprimand to the League of Polish Families' Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Maciej Giertych, for his booklet "Civilizations at War in Europe", replete with such racist statements as "Jews are biologically different from Gentiles."

Samuels noted that "though the booklet was published without EU funding, it carried the official European Parliament (EP) logo on its cover. Moreover, Giertych's party is, reportedly, under investigation by the Polish State Prosecutor for alleged ties to Skinhead concerts."

The Centre commended the President for viewing "this publication as an 'exceptionally serious' violation of EP procedures and 'a serious breach of the fundamental rights and, in particular, the dignity of human beings (...) as well as the honour of this House.'"

The Centre also urged that "on this fiftieth anniversary of the European Union's foundation, you ensure that such breaches be forestalled by an orientation programme on the price of racist expression for each newly elected MEP."

The letter pointed to "the Centre's Los Angeles-based Museum of Tolerance's sensitization project against hate which serves the judicial and law enforcement sectors of the international community," stating its readiness "to discuss the adaptation of this facility to the requirements of delegations from the European Parliament under your leadership."

Samuels concluded, "May this EU half-century mark a serious campaign against hate across the continent."

For further information, please contact Shimon Samuels at +33.609.77.01.58.