Netanyahu: 'Jews Now Targeted for Being Jews'

JERUSALEM, Israel -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the Fifth Global Forum for Combating Anti-Semitism.

"Seventy years ago, with the end of World War II and the revelation of the horrors of the Holocaust, some believed that humanity would discard one of history's oldest hatreds -- anti-Semitism," Netanyahu told conference participants.

"And it's true that in the years immediately following World War II, blatant expressions of hatred for the Jews appeared to take a respite, at least in the liberal West. Yet today there is no doubt that we are living in an age of resurgent anti-Semitism. Jews everywhere are once again being slandered and vilified," Netanyahu said.

"This is taking place in the intolerant parts of the Middle East, but it's also taking place in what otherwise would be expected to be the tolerant parts of the West," he continued.

"It's taking place in Beirut, in Damascus, in Tehran. But it's also taking place, violently so, in Toulouse, in Paris, in Brussels. Because along with vilification come the inevitable violent attacks. And Jews are now being targeted for being Jews," he said.

Netanyahu said the Jewish state is being treated among the nations the way our forefathers were treated. How can it be, he asked, that this country is slandered like no other country?