Latest news with #IHRA
Euronews
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Council of Europe alarmed by free speech curbs in Germany
The Human Rights Commissioner of the Council of Europe, Michael O'Flaherty, has expressed serious concerns regarding the conduct of German authorities in response to pro-Gaza demonstrations. In a letter addressed to the German Interior Minister, Alexander Dobrindt, O'Flaherty highlighted what he perceives as infringements on freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly. 'Since February 2025, Berlin authorities have imposed restrictions on the use of the Arabic language and cultural symbols during protests. In certain instances, such as the demonstration held on 15 May 2025, marches were limited to static gatherings. Additionally, protestors have reportedly been subjected to intrusive surveillance—both online and in person—and arbitrary police checks,' O'Flaherty stated. The Commissioner also raised alarm over reports of disproportionate police violence during these events. 'I am deeply concerned by allegations of excessive force used by police against demonstrators, including minors, which in some cases led to injuries. The use of force by law enforcement must adhere to the principles of non-discrimination, legality, necessity, proportionality, and precaution,' he said. O'Flaherty has urged the German authorities to thoroughly investigate incidents of excessive force and to hold officers accountable where misconduct is found. He noted that police efforts to suppress Nakba Day commemorations—a remembrance of the 1948 displacement of Palestinians—were especially troubling. The Irish human rights advocate further pointed out that freedom of speech appears to be restricted within some German universities and cultural institutions. He cited reports of foreign nationals facing deportation following their involvement in pro-Gaza activities. 'I am concerned by indications that the working definition of antisemitism adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) is being interpreted by some German authorities in a manner that equates any criticism of Israel with antisemitism,' O'Flaherty wrote. Tensions have run high in Germany since the beginning of the Gaza conflict, with frequent clashes at pro-Palestinian rallies. During the Nakba protest in mid-May, demonstrators were heard chanting slogans such as 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free'—phrasing considered antisemitic under German law. The event saw several injuries as confrontations escalated. In April, five students were arrested during a protest at Humboldt University for chanting anti-Israeli slogans. German police have also taken action against demonstrators displaying banned symbols, including altered Hamas slogans. Bill Gates will visit Brussels next week to participate in a Gavi vaccine alliance summit together with EU leaders to pledge provision of vaccine purchases for developing countries in an event co-hosted by The Gates Foundation and the European Union. The goal of the event is to collect €9 billion between 2026 and 2030. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, will likely represent the EU at the event. Gavi is a global vaccine alliance bringing together public and private actors that help vaccinate more than half the world's children against some of the deadliest diseases. The Gates Foundation, alongside the European Union, is its biggest sponsor. Gavi intends to immunise at least 500 million children in the next five years. This, according to their press release, would save 8-9 million lives. It is not immediately clear how much the EU will contribute to this plan financially. The EU has provided €3.2 billion in financing to Gavi since 2003. There was enhanced cooperation between the two during the coronavirus pandemic in the COVAX programme. EU institutions together with individual member states have also contributed €2.55 billion to Gavi's programmes, amounting to one third of the budget of the campaign. 'When the Gates Foundation made its first investment in Gavi 25 years ago, I couldn't have predicted the extraordinary impact it would have on combatting infectious diseases, lifting up economies and saving lives,' said Bill Gates in a press release announcing the summit in Brussels. "Together with Gavi, we have the goal to vaccinate 500 million children by 2030. That is why the European Union is proud to co-host Gavi's High-Level Pledging Summit in Brussels. Our support will remain steadfast,' von der Leyen is cited in the release as saying. Besides the Gavi's pledging summit, Bill Gates will also have other agenda items in Brussels, participating on Tuesday in a debate with MEPs on the European Parliament's Development Committee. The discussion will focus on assistance and innovation as drivers for improving health and living standards in the Global South. The press release of the Parliament adds that several international donors, like the United States and several EU countries, are cutting their aid budgets.
DW
15 hours ago
- Politics
- DW
Europe rights chief flags Germany's Gaza protest response – DW – 06/19/2025
Skip next section Council of Europe raises concerns over Germany's handling of Gaza protests 06/19/2025 June 19, 2025 Council of Europe raises concerns over Germany's handling of Gaza protests The Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O'Flaherty expressed concern to German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt about freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly in Germany over protests related to the war in Gaza. In a letter dated June 6 but made public Thursday , he cited reports of police using excessive force against demonstrators, including minors. "The use of force by law enforcement officials including during protests must comply with the principles of non-discrimination, legality, necessity and proportionality, and precaution," he wrote. O'Flaherty also noted that restrictions on events, symbols, or other forms of expression in this context. He said governments have very limited grounds to restrict political speech or public debate, unless it incites violence, and must assess each case individually. The human rights commissioner also pointed to reports that Germany justified some restrictions on rights as part of an effort to prevention of antisemitism. "I note with concern reports indicating that the working definition of antisemitism of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) has been interpreted by some German authorities in ways which lead to the blanket classification of criticism of Israel as antisemitic," he said. "In that regard, I urge you to be vigilant that the IHRA working definition is not distorted, instrumentalised or misapplied to stifle freedom of expression and legitimate criticism, including of the state of Israel." DW has requested comment from Dobrindt and will update this story if a response is received. The Council of Europe is a Strasbourg-based international human rights organization that protects human rights, democracy and the rule of law. It is not a part of the European Union. Silent protest: Dancing for Iran To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Irish Independent
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Letters: Not all members of Jewish community oppose Trinity College Dublin's decision to cut ties with Israel
This is untrue. It ignores the many Jews in Ireland who support this action and those who worked towards it – the Jewish student activists, including a past chair of TCD's Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS) society, and the Jewish members of Academics for Palestine. It also ignores Jewish members of Trinity College's board which approved this decision. The assumption that 'the Jewish community' supports Israel is false. To conflate Jews and the Israeli state is false, and the biggest lie of all is that the boycott of Israel is antisemitic, as per the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition. This is why many Jews, Holocaust scholars and groups such as the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the Irish Network Against Racism, oppose the IHRA and its use to silence criticism of Israel. Alan Shatter and Maurice Cohen, in their open letter to the chair of TCD's board, also fail to refer to the Jerusalem Declaration, signed by over 200 scholars worldwide, which specifically states that peaceful methods of protest such as BDS are not antisemitic. Just as the IHRA definition protects Israel, but not Jews, so too does the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland protect Israel. It does not represent the diversity of Jews when it represents the apartheid state and stays silent about genocide. Sue Pentel, Jews for Palestine Ireland, Belfast Where are international leaders calling out act of piracy on Madleen ship? The seizure by Israeli forces of the aid boat Madleen carrying Greta Thunberg and other campaigners, in my opinion, should be considered an act of piracy. However, there seems to be no inclination by leaders of the democratic world to hold Israeli leaders accountable for their actions. Michael Moriarty, Rochestown, Co Cork People need to curb their expectations – there are no quick fixes for anything We live in a world of growing and sometimes unrealistic expectations, with people seeking a silver bullet to solve issues. Alas, it's not so simple. Looking at our housing shortage there is no quick fix. Given the complexities of development – from rules and regulations to putting funding in place – a dramatic increase in supply is unrealistic. Our infrastructure – from sewerage to water and energy – also needs upgrading. As regards the health service, the issues of bed shortages and delays in treatment are never-ending. There is no magic formula to fix this. The best that can be achieved is a 20-year plan with incremental changes leading to the graph becoming positive. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more And if we looks beyond our shores, Jews and Arabs have been fighting for centuries. A solution will take years of slow, painstaking work. Russia will not put the interests of others before itself any time soon, but perhaps if they feel the chill winds from the rest of the world for long enough, another generation of Russians might see the folly of their ways. In people's own personal lives, change is slow and gradual. There is no such thing as the quick fix or shortcut, though modern society tries to sell us this old snake-oil mantra. Most successful people, be they from the world of sport, entertainment, or business, talk about the slow grind, the hard graft, the many years of failures before achieving their goal. Joseph Kiely, Letterkenny, Co Donegal Government must control public hospital capacity and ditch two-tier system Almost €2bn has been spent on the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) since its inception. Intended to reduce waiting lists, the NTPF has been a total failure, especially if you reside in the wrong part of the dystopian Irish health landscape. Many hospital consultants, employed by the State, continue to split their time between public hospitals and more profitable private practice. This 'have' and 'have-more' model diverts capacity away from public patients and fuels the two-tier system, where access is based on the ability to pay. The NTPF was supposed to provide a solution. Instead,it rewards private providers for doing work that should be performed within the public system. Worse, it creates a perverse incentive: the longer public lists grow, the more private work is generated, often by the very consultants whose time is being lost to the public service. If the Government is serious about delivering on Sláintecare's promise of universal, single-tier healthcare, it must re-assert control over public hospital capacity, reform consultant contracts and end the parallel system funded by the NTPF. We cannot buy our way out of this crisis. But one thing is certain, the most effective trade unions to operate in Ireland, those representing doctors, along with the private insurers, will absorb the current pressure, exert influence and the horror show will go on. Declan Doyle, Kilkenny US has clearly lost its way when reporter is shot from behind while doing job America used to be the country of the TV westerns where the good guys never shot the bad guys in the back. But those days are forgotten. We saw an Australian reporter in LA shot in the leg with a rubber bullet from behind. The Lone Ranger, a past symbol of what Americans thought they were, would be horrified. How far can they sink into the swamp that Donald Trump promised to drain. Fortunately the reporter is OK and back on the job. Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia LGBTQ+ community knows how to celebrate its diversity, as we all should Fair play to the LGBTQ+ community. They celebrate their status with the likes of 'Pride Month', 'Gay Week' and even 'Dyke Day'. Heterosexuals haven't even as much as a coffee morning. How about we start our own week. We could call it the 'Hetero Hullabaloo' or the 'Hetero Hooley'. P Canning, Address with editor Rescuers who captured runaway zebra Ed earned their stripes for sure Well done to the people who captured Ed the escaped zebra ('Ed the zebra airlifted home after week on run is ended,' Irish Independent, June 9). They certainly earned their stripes! Noel Kelly, Doonbeg, Co Clare
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Eric Adams signs executive order adopting Holocaust remembrance group's definition of antisemitism
Mayor Eric Adams signed an executive order Sunday adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism, as he vowed to ramp up the city campaign to combat Jew hatred. He also introduced legislation urging the City Council to approve the IHRA definition, which would make it official law. The IHRA definition is considered by many Jewish leaders to be the standard in fighting antisemitism. 'Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities,' the IHRA definition states. Adams announced the order during a discussion with Dr. Phil Sunday night at the Tribeca Synagogue. It comes as he faces re-election and plans to run as an independent on an 'End Semitism' ballot line. 'Antisemitism is a vile disease that's been spreading across our nation and our city. What's worse, since Hamas' terror attacks on October 7, 2023, we have seen this hateful rhetoric become normalized on our campuses, in our communities, and online as antisemitic propaganda far too often masquerades as 'activism,'' Adams said. More than half of the hate crimes reported in the city in March victimized Jews, even though they account for just 11 percent of the population, the mayor noted. 'We know this moment demands bold, decisive action to crack down on anti-Jewish hatred,' Adams said. 'Today, we signed a landmark executive order to adopt an internationally recognized definition of antisemitism, but we must go further. I am calling on the City Council to join this commitment to target antisemitism everywhere it exists and immediately pass a bill to codify this definition into law. It's time we all come together to eradicate this hatred from our city, once and for all.' At the state level, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo — who's also running for mayor — issued an order barring state entities from doing business with firms that back the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel before his resignation. Gov. Kathy Hochul has retained the policy. State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli has his own pro-Israel policy. In 2021, he announced that he pulled $111 million in investments out of the firm that owns Ben & Jerry's because of the ice cream maker's boycott of Israel's occupied territories. DiNapoli is the sole manager of the $274 billion state Common Retirement Fund.
New York Post
08-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Eric Adams signs executive order adopting Holocaust remembrance group's definition of antisemitism
Mayor Eric Adams signed an executive order Sunday adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism, as he vowed to ramp up the city campaign to combat Jew hatred. He also introduced legislation urging the City Council to approve the IHRA definition, which would make it official law. The IHRA definition is considered by many Jewish leaders to be the standard in fighting antisemitism. 4 Mayor Eric Adams signed an executive order Sunday adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism. Matthew McDermott 'Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities,' the IHRA definition states. Adams announced the order during a discussion with Dr. Phil Sunday night at the Tribeca Synagogue. It comes as he faces re-election and plans to run as an independent on an 'End Semitism' ballot line. 4 Adams also introduced legislation urging the City Council to approve the IHRA definition, which would make it official law. Paul Martinka 'Antisemitism is a vile disease that's been spreading across our nation and our city. What's worse, since Hamas' terror attacks on October 7, 2023, we have seen this hateful rhetoric become normalized on our campuses, in our communities, and online as antisemitic propaganda far too often masquerades as 'activism,'' Adams said. More than half of the hate crimes reported in the city in March victimized Jews, even though they account for just 11 percent of the population, the mayor noted. 4 Adams announced the order during a discussion with Dr. Phil Sunday night at the Tribeca Synagogue. LP Media 'We know this moment demands bold, decisive action to crack down on anti-Jewish hatred,' Adams said. 'Today, we signed a landmark executive order to adopt an internationally recognized definition of antisemitism, but we must go further. I am calling on the City Council to join this commitment to target antisemitism everywhere it exists and immediately pass a bill to codify this definition into law. It's time we all come together to eradicate this hatred from our city, once and for all.' 4 More than half of the hate crimes reported in the city in March victimized Jews, even though they account for just 11 percent of the population. Kevin C Downs forThe New York Post At the state level, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo — who's also running for mayor — issued an order barring state entities from doing business with firms that back the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel before his resignation. Gov. Kathy Hochul has retained the policy. State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli has his own pro-Israel policy. In 2021, he announced that he pulled $111 million in investments out of the firm that owns Ben & Jerry's because of the ice cream maker's boycott of Israel's occupied territories. DiNapoli is the sole manager of the $274 billion state Common Retirement Fund.
