JERUSALEM, Israel – Much of the world is still reeling from the riot following an Amsterdam soccer match where Muslims attacked thousands of Israelis.
After returning from The Netherlands, Israel's new foreign minister, Gideon Sa'ar, told journalists his country is battling a level of anti-Semitism not experienced since World War II.
Sa'ar stated, "The incidents we hadn't seen for 80 years. – I call it new anti-Semitism, focused on the denial of the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish state, focused on the denial of the right of Israel to self-defense; and it is concretized to attack or dehumanize every Jew or every Israeli on the street."
Special evacuation flights brought 2,000 Israelis home over the weekend after the Amsterdam attacks. Part of that is due to Jews being denied rights such as self-defense, which the United Nations grants to all nations.
The foreign minister noted, "When we are talking about the country that is most attacked in the world, most threatened in the world with, other U.N. state members like Iran speaking publicly and deliberately about eliminating it. But this country is attacked, with an effort to deny its right to self-defense."
Sa'ar is calling on all nations to stand up and make Jewish communities secure, much like Germany did a year ago when it criminalized the Palestinian chant, "From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free."
The goal, in Sa'ar's view, should be "To take care of incitement against Jews and against the state of Israel as the only Jewish state in the world, and to combat seriously (the) phenomenon of new anti-Semitism with all its expressions."
Following meetings with leaders in The Netherlands, Sa'ar believes the Dutch officials understand the challenge.
"We discussed different ideas, how to deal with it, what to do, and I'm sure it will take place (at) a European level," Sa'ar said.
As for the war in Lebanon, Sa'ar revealed there has been progress toward a ceasefire agreement, which must include the Iranian proxy Hezbollah's total disarmament with no ability to regain strength.
He emphasized, "Even if we will reach an agreement, the most important thing will be not the words in an agreement with Lebanon, but the enforcement and the willingness and the decisiveness." He added, "Whenever these agreements will be breached – if it will be breached – to act immediately, and militarily and to avoid them to be what they were before the current war."
He was referring to Hezbollah's constant missile and rocket attacks on Israel and an enormous stockpile of weapons, along with terror tunnels.
Sa'ar believes such an agreement, while bringing security to Israel, would also benefit the Lebanese people.
"I hope that the change in the equation of power in Lebanon will bring Lebanon to, a different era," Sa'ar explained. "But this is not our job to do. Lebanon belongs to the Lebanese citizens, not to Iran.
He continued, "Maybe it was not possible before this war when Hezbollah was so powerful. We will ensure that Hezbollah will not be a threat to Israel, but the international community can assure the future of Lebanon as a free country, a sovereign country, not forced to be an Iranian proxy, which I'm sure that the majority of the citizens of Lebanon don't want to be."
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