I
108th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4214
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 22, 2004
Mr. Smith of New Jersey (for himself and Mr. Ferguson) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations
A BILL
To require a report on acts of anti-Semitism around the world.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the &short-title1;
.
Findings
Congress makes the following findings:
Acts of anti-Semitism in countries throughout the world, including some of the world’s strongest democracies, have increased significantly in frequency and scope over the last several years.
During the first 3 months of 2004, there were numerous instances of anti-Semitic violence around the world, including the following incidents:
In Australia on January 5, 2004, poison was used to ignite, and burn anti-Semitic slogans into, the lawns of the Parliament House in the state of Tasmania.
In St. Petersburg, Russia, on February 15, 2004, vandals desecrated approximately 50 gravestones in a Jewish cemetery, painting the stones with swastikas and anti-Semitic graffiti.
In Toronto, Canada, over the weekend of March 19 through March 21, 2004, vandals attacked a Jewish school, a Jewish cemetery, and area synagogues, painting swastikas and anti-Semitic slogans on the walls of a synagogue and on residential property in a nearby, predominantly Jewish, neighborhood.
In Toulon, France, on March 23, 2004, a Jewish synagogue and community center were set on fire.
Anti-Semitism in old and new forms is also increasingly emanating from the Arab and Muslim world on a sustained basis, including through books published by government-owned publishing houses in Egypt and other Arab countries.
In November 2002, state-run television in Egypt broadcast the anti-Semitic series entitled Horseman Without a Horse,
which is based upon the fictitious conspiracy theory know as the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. The Protocols have been used throughout the last century by despots such as Adolf Hitler to justify violence against Jews.
In November 2003, Arab television featured an anti-Semitic series, entitled Ash-Shatat
(or The Diaspora
), which depicts Jewish people hatching a plot for Jewish control of the world.
The sharp rise in anti-Semitic violence has caused international organizations such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to elevate, and bring renewed focus to, the issue, including the convening by the OSCE in June 2003 of a conference in Vienna dedicated solely to the issue of anti-Semitism.
The OSCE will again convene a conference dedicated to addressing the problem of anti-Semitism on April 28–29, 2004, in Berlin, with the United States delegation to be led by former Mayor of New York City Ed Koch.
The United States Government has strongly supported efforts to address anti-Semitism through bilateral relationships and interaction with international organizations such as the OSCE, the European Union, and the United Nations.
Congress has consistently supported efforts to address the rise in anti-Semitic violence. During the 107th Congress, both the Senate and the House of Representatives passed resolutions expressing strong concern with the sharp escalation of anti-Semitic violence in Europe and calling on the Department of State to thoroughly document the phenomenon.
Sense of Congress
It is the sense of Congress that—
the United States Government should continue to strongly support efforts to combat anti-Semitism worldwide through bilateral relationships and interaction with international organizations such as the OSCE; and
the Department of State should thoroughly document acts of anti-Semitism that occur around the world.
Report
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on International Relations of the House of Representatives a report on acts of anti-Semitism around the world, including a description of—
acts of physical violence against, or harassment of, Jewish people, and acts of violence against, or vandalism of, Jewish community institutions, such as schools, synagogues, or cemeteries, that occurred in each country;
the responses of the governments of those countries to such actions;
the actions taken by such governments to enact and enforce laws relating to the protection of the right to religious freedom of Jewish people; and
the efforts by such governments to promote anti-bias and tolerance education.