EU envoy for combating antisemitism visits Israel, shares about new online programs

The European Union Envoy for Combating Antisemitism, Katharina von Schnurbein, recently visited Israel, where she spoke at the Israel Council on Foreign Relations, a project of the World Jewish Congress.

Von Schnurbein stressed that antisemitism mainly spreads through the internet these days.

“The Internet is the entry door number one for antisemitism in our living rooms. This is very important and key to getting this under control… Europe has developed a sequence of legislation, and I think we are the region with the most advanced legislation that gives a framework to the platforms and makes clear that if they want to operate in Europe, certain rules apply,” Schnurbein said.

She explained that the EU currently has new programs for fighting online antisemitism and creating better redress mechanisms for its victims, she said.

“We are the ones that are taking the responsibility of supervising and making sure that there are better redress mechanisms for users,“ von Schnurbein explained. She added that the fight against online antisemitism is not only something the EU views as important for the Jewish community, but for all democratic nations.

“If the idea spreads that someone else but your elected government controls the world, then your trust in government and in democracy and then the values that democracy upholds rule of law is very low. And so it's very important to us,” von Schnurbein said, referring to the specific antisemitic rhetoric that Jews rule the world.  

She also spoke about the IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance) working definition of antisemitism, which the EU has adopted.

“We see that it [IHRA] works… 41 countries that are members of the UN today have adopted this definition, and training is happening based on the definition because it's very practical…and I think that we have seen an impact,” she said.

“I believe that actually, the IHRA definition enables freedom of speech because it gives those a voice that in the past only could say, ‘when you say the existence of Israel in itself is a racist endeavor, that actually goes against my identity. Even if I don't necessarily support the government of Israel, I want the state of Israel to be there because when everything goes wrong here, this time I know where to go,’” she added.