netherlands 2006

 

Despite an overall rise of 64 percent  in antisemitic activity in the Netherlands, mainly due to the many abusive e-mails received during the period of the Second Lebanon War and the escalation of Israeli military action in Gaza, there was a decline in violent incidents in 2006, from 23 in 2005 to 8. There was a steep rise in racist activity in the country.

 

the jewish community

An estimated 30,000 Jews live in the Netherlands today out of some 16 million inhabitants, the majority in Amsterdam. Dutch Jewry is represented by three councils, based on affiliation: the Nederlands Israelitisch Kerkgenootschap, the Verbond van Liberaal Religieuze Joden and the Portugees Israelitisch Kerkgenootschap. The community, which sustains a variety of religious and educational institutions, publishes the newspaper Nieuw Israelitisch Weekblad.

 

extremist groups

According to the report of the Monitor on Racism and Extremism (Monitor Racisme en Extremisme: racistisch en extreemrechts geweld) for 2006 of the Anne Frank Foundation, racist activity in Holland escalated by 75 percent, despite a 10 percent decline in criminal racial offenses (to 265) from the previous year. About one-quarter of all hates crimes in 2006 were directed against Muslim immigrants. Possible explanations for the rise include increasing ignorance in Dutch society as a whole about World War II; a growth of intolerance toward “the other,” particularly Jews, Muslims and homosexuals; and a coarsening of language.

 

Islamist Activity

According to the annual report of the AIVD (General Intelligence and Security Service), the terrorist threat in the Netherlands from national networks diminished in 2006, thanks to the government’s successful prosecution of terrorism suspects and the deportation of members of jihadist networks declared persona non grata. In March, for example, a verdict was reached in the “Hofstad trial” (see ASW 2005). Of the eleven suspects arrested in June and October 2005, six were sentenced. In December 2006 the court ruled that although the group could not be characterized as a terrorist organization, Samir A. had indeed been preparing a terrorist attack. A further six persons closely linked to the Hofstad group were arrested in early November, after an investigation launched by the Crime Squad. They were indicted on various counts, including recruitment for an armed conflict.

            Nevertheless, the AIVD noted increasing recruitment and radicalization among young Muslims born and bred in the Netherlands, with the Internet playing an increasingly important role in this process. Radicalizing effects on Dutch Muslims in 2006 were the aftermath of the Prophet Muhammad cartoon affair, the Israeli attack on Lebanon, and the Pope’s comments on Islam (see Arab Countries). In addition, an increase has been noted in the number of mosques and Islamic institutes that have come under the influence of Salafist centers, which focus mainly on a small, but growing group of young people of Moroccan extraction who feel marginalized.

 

Extreme Right

According to the AIVD, the extreme right movement is disintegrating further. Confidence in the success of extreme right political parties is waning, and a shift can be discerned from support of these parties to activism in the streets.

Two branches of Blood & Honour operate in the Netherlands: the small, but extremely radical Racial Volunteer Force (RVF) and the larger Blood & Honour-Nederland, which is growing. While the RVF are more ideological and politically active, Blood & Honour-Nederland currently focus on extreme right music, but hold survival training in preparation for a possible racial struggle in the future. The RVF plays a clear role in Dutch right-wing extremism through the propagation of neo-Nazi ideas to new groups, such as Jeugdstorm Nederland (JSN) which splintered from the so-called Lonsdale youth (see ASW 2005) in Zoetermeer and whose members were detained in 2006 during several demonstrations organized by the neo-Nazi Nederlandse Volks-Unie.

Nederlandse Volks-Unie (NVU) was active in 2006, in particular, during the municipal elections, but won no seats. Both the NVU and the RVF identify with Iran due to their shared hatred of the United States and Israel. On 1 July the NVU and the RVF organized a demonstration in The Hague against Zionism and American imperialism and for Iran and its president Ahmadinejad.

Some members of the nationalist Nationale Alliantie (National Alliance − NA) split in 2006, following its unsuccessful showing in the municipal elections, and formed the Nationalistische Volks Beweging (National People’s Movement − NVB). The NVB demonstrated in Middelburg during the year against the construction of a mosque.

The ultra-nationalist Voorpost celebrated their 30th anniversary in 2006. Despite individual contacts with other extreme right organizations in the Netherlands, Voorpost strives to remain an independent action group.

 

Extreme Left

The anti-fascist movement has been increasingly involved in violent confrontations. Following the intimidation of some local authorities, several municipalities decided to withdraw permits approving their right to demonstrate against extreme right groups. In the cities of Amsterdam, Arnhem, Utrecht, and Nijmegen anti-fascists, including members of the new Militant AFA (Anti Fascistische Actie − Antifascist Action) sought physical confrontations with right-wing groups or individuals.

 

antisemitic activities

The year 2006 witnessed a considerable rise in antisemitic activity in the Netherlands. The number of reported incidents rose by 64 percent, from 169 to 261, over the 2005 figures. This was due mainly to the many antisemitic e-mail messages received during the period of the Second Lebanon War and the escalation of Israeli military action in Gaza. This seems to confirm that an increase in tension between Israel and neighboring states leads to a rise in antisemitic manifestations in Holland. The taboo against such expressions is weakened when Israeli policy is under fire.

Some antisemitic manifestations, however, did not appear to be connected to Middle East events. Of particular concern was the high incidence of vandalism, including the daubing of Holocaust memorials before and during the events held on 4-5 May marking the German surrender in 1945. The content of the graffiti painted (swastikas and slogans such as “Wir sind zurueck [We are back]”) and the information released about those arrested indicates that this phenomenon is related to the rise of the extreme right. It should be noted that neo-Nazis detained for committing crimes against Jewish facilities tend to describe them as anti-Zionist or anti-Israel, perhaps in part because racial offenses incur harsher sentences. For example, a group of youths found guilty of torching a synagogue and a Muslim school, claimed their motive for the former act was protesting Israeli policy.

            The Landelijk Expertisecentrum Discrimination (LECD − Dutch Centre for the Survey of Discrimination), established in 1998, publishes a yearly report monitoring the handling of discrimination charges by the public prosecutor. In 2006 the number of cases of antisemitic discrimination rose by 24.6 percent compared to 2005. One-third (33 percent) of the 241 reports in 2006 were antisemitic compared to 23 percent in 2005. The main cause of discrimination, 55 percent of cases, was race; 17 percent related to blacks and 11 percent to Turks and North Africans.

The number of incidents defined by the Israel Information and Documentation Center (CIDI) as “physical violence” and “threats of violence” fell considerably. “Serious” violent incidents occur only rarely in the Netherlands. In 2006 .there were eight such incidents compared to 23 in 2005, the lowest level since 2001, when CIDI introduced both categories, and far from the peak of 31 incidents reached in 2002. Examples in 2006 were the arson attempt on the Dijk Synagogue in Sliedrecht on 18 April and the stoning of a Jew wearing a skullcap (see below). There was also a steep decline of 50 percent − from 14 to 7 − in the number of incidents at schools, the lowest level since 2002 (also 7).

In August, CIDI reported a surge in the number of complaints of antisemitic incidents following the outbreak of hostilities Lebanon and the escalation in Gaza. Death threats were received by two Jewish organizers of a pro-Israel demonstration and one of the organizers was beaten.

           

Violence and Vandalism

Three youths, two of North African origin, threw stones at an identifiable Jew riding a bicycle along Maasstraat, Amsterdam, on 10 January. A home of a member of the Jewish community in the city was also stoned on the same day. Three youths of North African origin were seen fleeing, shouting “whore” and “Jew.”

            Jewish cemeteries were also desecrated. Two gravestones were broken at the Jewish cemetery in Tarboro, swastikas were painted on other stones as well as on the Holocaust memorial, and swastikas, SS symbols and “Heil Hitler” were daubed on a pavilion. Nineteen gravestones were damaged at the Jewish cemetery in Beek, founded in 1794. The mayor condemned the incident. A 16-year-old and a 20-year-old were arrested.

            On 4 May, the memorial to Holocaust victims in Zandvoort was desecrated. The memorial is located on the site of a synagogue blown up in 1941. The perpetrators were arrested.

            Swastikas, neo-Nazi symbols and other antisemitic graffiti were found on a synagogue in Sliedricht in February. In addition, swastikas and antisemitic graffiti (Mein Kampf, f—kin, stinking Jood) were reported in January on the building of Bnei Akiva religious Zionist youth organization in Amsterdam.

 

Insults and Propaganda

Antisemitic slogans continued to be heard in the soccer stadium in 2006. During a match between Ajax Amsterdam and Utrecht played in Utrecht on 1 October, fans reportedly shouted “Hamas, Hamas, Jews to the gas.”

“The Jews are there to be taken out and executed” was painted in January on a pillar erected by the Japanese Peace Movement in Zwijndrecht containing a wish for world peace.

 

Internet

In 2006 the Meldpunt Discriminatie Amsterdam registered 46 complaints about antisemitic content on the Internet compared to 24 in 2005. As in 2005, antisemitism was the second largest category after islamophobia, with 463 reports (2005: 302), compared to 473 for Muslim hatred.

            Two sites of concern are the rap music Nieuwe Allochtonen Generation (NAG − New Migrants' Generation) and Sluipschutters.. Both sites contain the lyrics of songs that insult and threaten Jews. A legal suit against NAG has been continuing since June 2003, when CIDI lodged a complaint against them for playing and distributing on the Internet their song “Kankerjoden,” which incites to hatred and includes the text: “Fuck the Jews, those Jews, the migrants are going to get you and kill you.”

            The website Stormfront Nederland-Vlaanderen has been the subject of complaint from a number of organizations, including CIDI. In 2006 CIDI sent the minister of justice a letter protesting its continued operation. Two moderators from this forum were subsequently arrested.

 

responses to racism and antisemitism

Public Activity and Education

The year 2006 witnessed a further fall in the share of perpetrators of North African descent in antisemitic incidents, from 38 percent in 2005 to 33.3 percent. In 2002 41 percent of perpetrators were of North African descent, 43.5 percent in 2003 and 45 percent in 2004. Since the antisemitism of this sector of the population often arises from hatred of the State of Israel which is projected onto the Jewish community, CIDI has attempted to establish a dialogue with Islamic communities. It appears, then, that the projects of furthering dialogue initiated by CIDI have borne fruit.

            An example of Jewish-Muslim cooperation is the Joods Marokkaans Netwerk Amsterdam (JMNA), which brings together Muslim and Jewish youth. The ignorance of Muslim youth about Jews and Judaism was striking at its initial meetings. CIDI also organizes courses on Islam and Judaism in cooperation with the Islamic Foundation ULAMON.

            Another project is Diversion, an independent advisory office. It organizes activities such as project management, research, training, target group marketing and management advice. It also offers two successful teaching programs: “World War II in Perspective” and “Sacred,” involving both Jewish and Muslim young people at secondary schools. They teach jointly about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and World War II.

The chancellors of Dutch universities decided by a majority vote on 3 July to curb “unscientific” criticism of Islam. The statement of Prof. Pieter W. van dear Horst, retiring professor of Early Christian History and Judaism at Utrecht University, that “the Nazis’ irrational hatred of the Jews has been adopted in the contemporary Islamic world” was censored, as was his argument that the islamization of European antisemitism was a frightening development. According to a survey of the Institute of Investigating Public Opinion published in June, half of those questioned found Islam to be a negative religion and feared its influence on society.

The Dutch railway Nederlandse Spoorwegen officially apologized for participating in the deportation of Jews during the Holocaust. On 29 September the head of the company, Aad Veenman, asked for forgiveness and admitted for the first time that the company had provided trains and personnel to deport Dutch Jews to camps in Germany and Poland.

A conference, “Antisemitism in Academia: Sources and Solutions,” took place in Amsterdam, convened by the Magenta Foundation, Amsterdam, which combats racism, xenophobia and antisemitism. Increased antisemitism and anti-Zionism in academic circles was discussed and recommendations for fighting it adopted.

 

Legal Activity

In May it was reported that a student who used images of the Auschwitz concentration camp in an Internet clip, http://www.heretical.com/houswitz/index.html to advertise a spoof techno rave was to stand trial. In “Housewitz,” an apparent reference to “house” music, the flash animation showed Auschwitz victims and survivors with captions such as “Dancing makes free [Tanzen macht frei].” The student apologized; however, he faced a punishment of one year imprisonment and a fine of 4,500 euro.