“I Now Know that I Do Not Have a Place”

The Washington Times has a story headlined “Muslim youths attack Jewish war protesters.” We posted on this a few days ago, but the Times story adds some additional information:
“Street protests against American and British military action in Iraq have escalated into attacks by Muslim youths on Jewish demonstrators, sparking fears of a new wave of anti-Semitism across France.
“Officials fear that antiwar sentiment, supported by President Jacques Chirac, may be running out of control and could ignite widespread violence. Banners at recent demonstrations have shown the Star of David intertwined with a Nazi swastika, while protesters shouted: ‘Vive Chirac. Stop the Jews.’
“Mr. Chirac, whose bitter opposition to the U.S.-led military offensive in Iraq has won him widespread support in France, has remained silent on the attacks….The fears of increased anti-Semitism come only a month after French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin reportedly told a group of lawmakers that ‘the hawks in the U.S. administration are in the hands of [Israeli Prime Minister Ariel] Sharon.’
“Noam Levy, a 24-year-old French Jew, was beaten with an iron bar as he took part in a Paris protest and needed several stitches to his head. ‘As a Jew, I now know that I do not have a place in the antiwar protests,’ he said.”
Many American Jews know how he feels. Today’s Times has a second article headlined “Wars against terrorism, Iraq put Jews in Bush’s corner.” Rabbi Yeshiel Eckstein says:
“We don’t know how much, but there is a shift among Jews who are supporting Bush and his battle against terrorism. You would have to be blind not to see that. Republicans are making an effort to bring the Jewish community into its tent, and the Democratic Party is trying to stop the hemorrhaging.”

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