Speaking at the Israeli American Council’s 2016 National Israeli American Conference, New York Senator Chuck Schumer (Democrat) lambasted efforts to delegitimize and boycott the Jewish state, slamming the BDS movement as “a modern form of anti-Semitism.”
“Those who call for boycotts of Israel… are practicing whether they know it or not – a modern form of anti-Semitism.”
Schumer compared the BDS movement to the radical Students for a Democratic Society, which in the 1960s launched mass demonstrations against the US government on campuses across the country.
“They ultimately don’t believe there should be a Jewish state in the Middle East and are guilty of the same anti-Semitism. We need to make that argument loudly and strongly and go against the BDS movement and call it for what it is, an anti-Semitic and not just anti-Israel movement.”
“I applaud the governors of New York and California for” passing anti-BDS legislation, Schumer added.
While anti-Semitism is enjoying a renaissance on American college campuses, Schumer said, the problem is far worse in Europe.
“Unfortunately anti-Semitism seems to be in far too many European homes.”
Schumer noted that the hatred of Israel and correlating anti-Semitism is on the rise on both the fringe right and far-left in Europe, citing the UK Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn as an example.
“Europe has shown how anti-Israel and anti-Semitic the BDS movement really is. Far-right parties are experiencing a rebirth, and far-left parties… like the Labour party under Corbyn are increasingly anti-Israel.
“Terrorism and violence against Jews is on the rise, from vandalizing synagogues to thehorrible attack on a Jewish grocery in Paris. It is no wonder that last year in France, home to the largest Jewish population in Europe, set a record for the migration of Jews to Israel.
“The Jewish people can never put the fate of Israel in the hands of Europe in any way.”
