Antisemitism focus of major global confab on Internet Hate

December 3, 2020 by J-Wire Newsdesk
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Antisemitism in all its manifestations was the focus of the 2020 Annual Conference of the International Network Against Cyber Hate, an alliance of the major non-governmental organisations confronting this phenomenon since 2002.

The conference was opened by  Ms Hana Jalloul, Spanish Minister of Minorities, and the participants included the leaders of many anti-racism organisations as well as government officials.
Noting that “No longer is the main protagonist of hate against Jews white and extreme right” the Network broadened the agenda of previous discussions of antisemitism its agenda to consider left-wing antisemitism, antisemitism in the anti-Israel movement and the use of the law to combat antisemitism and holocaust denial, as well as assessing the promotion of antisemitism from individuals and organisations identifying themselves as religious.
 
Jeremy Jones, the Director of International and Community Affairs of Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council, spoke on antisemitism from Christian and Muslim sources, as well as positive developments within both these broad world religions.

He discussed the importance of understanding when and where religion is used as a pretext for bigotry or where and when anti-Israel prejudice is the direct result of the inculcation of anti-Jewish hostility. He spoke about the variety of sources which are used to both spread antisemitism and to argue against anti-Semites. 

On a positive note, Jones outlined developments in the Catholic Church over the past 55 years and the burgeoning relations between important Islamic bodies and also Muslim majority states, which have been accelerating in the past year.

While more than 20 countries are formally represented in the Network, they are predominantly European and a different perspective from Australia was warmly received. 

Although not formally part of the Network, Jeremy Jones has worked closely with many of the key players in this field, having been a presenter at the first-ever major international conference on the internet, held in Toronto, Canada, in 1997, having been a speaker at the United Nations World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa in 2001 and at the Stockholm International Forums in the early 2000s which dealt with these matters.

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