Corr.: - Dear doctor Kozerod, for several years you have been studying the issues of modern European Jewish life. Did you expect to see events similar to those that occurred in Amsterdam?
О.K.: - Unfortunately, today it is impossible to predict exactly where and when such events will occur. However, what happened in the Netherlands was quite expected. If we set aside all the contributing factors, such as the power of pro-Palestinian propaganda and the difficulties in PR activities and conveying the position of the Israeli government to Europeans, the reason for what happened lies in only one thing: the weakness of the Dutch police.
Everyone knows that the police work well with citizens within their jurisdiction and can respond to certain localized public order violations. In situations involving mass disturbances and riots, however, the police become powerless. In neighboring Flanders, one of the largest train stations has seen clashes between youth gangs for many months. Despite the small number and young age of the hooligans, the police are afraid to intervene and call in... the army to solve the problem. However, even the army is hesitant to intervene...
Corr.: - It is frightening to think what Europe will have to endure after the world has witnessed such weakness from the Dutch police. Now Islamist and youth gangs can wreak havoc and terrorize any national or other group of the population? Will they perhaps target wealthy neighborhoods or loot museums?
O.K.: - You are partially correct; today, Swedish youth gangs commit serious crimes against the population and businessmen in neighboring Denmark and Finland, and the police are unable to deal with this, as the young age of the criminals prevents adequate punishment from being applied to them.
Corr.: - Do you think that the Jews will become the group that will be terrorized with impunity by rioters, sometimes at the behest of governments hostile to EU countries?
O.K.: - It depends on the EU authorities, who today are implementing the Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life until 2030.
Corr.: - Can you, as an expert, give specific advice on this matter?
O.K.: - In my opinion, the EU authorities should adopt the experience of the British government, which allowed the creation of the nationwide Jewish security structure CST, which ensures the safety of Jews themselves.
Also, certain legally approved weapons and the right to detain criminals should be provided to Jewish rapid response groups, similar to the “Shomrim” groups operating in London.
Shomrim NW London was established back in 2008 in response to the rise of anti-Semitism in the British capital and has since developed into a full-fledged structure working in cooperation with the city police and the Jewish community.
Corr.: - The King of the Netherlands expressed his condolences to the Prime Minister of Israel on this matter. He stated that "The Netherlands has failed the Jews, just as it did during the Holocaust." What do you think the reaction of the Israeli government will be to such events?
O.K.: - I have immense respect for the King’s position and his many years of efforts to protect the Jewish community and the restitution of Jewish property. However, unfortunately, the Netherlands may continue to "fail the Jews" tomorrow and the day after. If Israeli football fans stop traveling to Europe, tourists, cultural, and government delegations will still go. Synagogues and religious communities remain. Taxi drivers and hotel staff will always be able to pass information about the appearance of a group of Israelis to rioters.
EU authorities cannot wait for the police of a particular country to have the courage to fight with crowds of armed bandits. They must grant permission for Jewish communities to defend themselves.
I can say that the creation of self-defense forces by young Jewish residents of European cities is the most effective way to combat anti-Jewish pogroms.
Corr.: - Thank you for the interview!
O.K.: - Thank you!
Oleg Kozerod - Research Scientist at the Department of Ethnopolitical Studies, Ph.D., Doctor of Letters He has been working at the Institute of Political and Ethnonational Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine since January 2002 as a researcher and senior researcher. A member of public and professional international organizations, including the European Association of Jewish Studies and the Royal Historical Society. Author of more than 100 scientific and educational works, including ten monographs.
Photo by S Sepp, Wikimedia commons.