Hate Speech, Anti-Semitism Surging in Germany; CNN Polling Focuses on Surge of Anti-Semitism; Benjamin Netanyahu's Interview on the Rise of Anti-Semitism in Europe
CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The far-right is enjoying a major comeback here, bringing with it a troubling rise in anti- Semitism.</s>BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST: Images as faded as the memory but ones we should never forget. And you just heard why. Red hot hatred echoing through time. A special CNN investigation, uncovering the ugly slither of anti-Semitic in Germany. Plus, imagine driving a bus at full speed, head first, into a black hole. While your passengers try and grab the wheel. Well, you are looking at the Brexit bus driver as the British government itself warns it could cost the country vast amounts of money. But why should they be trusted? Friends through thick and thin and has all of the American President's men make the case for standing by Saudi Arabia, no matter what. We are connecting you then to a world, often brutal, often confusing, and often out of control. But we are here to connect you to the cold hard facts of it all and help guide you all through it. I'm Becky Anderson. I'm in Abu Dhabi, welcome to the show. If there is a God, he will have to beg for my forgiveness, those words are attributed to a Jewish prisoner of a Nazi concentration camp, and they are so powerful, you might wonder how anyone could ever forget them. Let alone the country that promised never to abandon the memory of the Holocaust. But then you see pictures like these, taken almost a lifetime later, and you wonder how this sentiment could ever touch Germany again. Did you know things are now so bad the majority of people there say anti- Semitism is again a growing problem, all that one in two Germans think Jewish people today are at risk of violence. Those just some of the results of an extensive CNN investigation which is revealing exactly to what degree Germany and other parts of Europe are facing anti-Semitism. Our investigation already provoking a stunned reaction from leaders, and lawmakers around the world, and we will hear some of that in a moment. First, have a look at some of the findings for yourself, from our chief international correspondent, Clarissa Ward.</s>WARD (voice-over): It's a sight you don't expect to see in Germany in 2018. Hundreds of right-wing extremists, many neo-Nazis, marching through the nation's capital. Close the border, they shout. Resistance, resistance. The far-right is enjoying a major comeback here, bringing with it a troubling rise in anti-Semitism. According to government figures, anti-Semitic attacks have increased by 20 percent in the last five years. The number of violent right-wing extremists has gone up by nearly a third. This man tells us a shadowy cabal of globalists controls the world. (on camera): So, when you talk about the elites and you talk about finance, is that another way of saying Jewish people?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.</s>WARD: Yes?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.</s>WARD: It is.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As long as</s>WARD (voice-over): Let me say it this way, the banking system for sure. Banks, finance, the economy, mainly Jews, he said. We had more questions, but our conversation was cut short by one of the march's organizers. (on camera): I think we have someone who is following me. (voice-over): Making anti-Semitic statements can be punishable under German law. But Christian Weissberger explains that neo-Nazis are finding new ways to express the same old hatred and he should know. Weissberger used to be a right-wing extremist himself.</s>CHRISTIAN WEISSBERGER, FORMER NEO-NAZI: I would say it is a form of anti- Semitism that disguises itself and so they don't talk about the Jew anymore. They talk about the Zionists or the globalists or the bankers.</s>WARD: And they are growing more brazen. One man flashes a quick but unmistakable Nazi salute right in front of us. A crime in Germany. It's important to remember, this isn't any country. This is Germany. Just a few hundred yards from the march is a memorial for the millions of Jews murdered here in the second world war. (on camera): More than 70 years after the Holocaust, Germany is still haunted by its past. And yet remarkably, anti-Semitism is once again a growing problem here with 50 percent of Germans agreeing that Jewish people are now at risk of racist violence. (voice-over): The statistic comes from a CNN poll that also found half of Germans believe Jews are at risk of hate speech. At Feinberg's Israeli restaurant, owner Yorai says he gets threats every day.</s>YORAI FEINBERG, RESTAURANT OWNER: From murder to I will break your knees, I will break your arms, I will break your teeth. They are very creative in everything and all the options that they want to break.</s>WARD: He was recently accosted by a man who told him Jews will end up in the gas chamber.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It's only about the money for you. You will pay, the man says to him. Nobody wants you here.</s>WARD (on camera): He told you to go to the gas chambers or that you will go back to the gas chambers?</s>FEINBERG: Yes.</s>WARD: You've heard things like that before?</s>FEINBERG: Very often.</s>WARD (voice-over): Germany has acknowledged it has a problem. Recently appointing its first anti-Semitism czar. Felix Klein is focused on creating a nationwide system for reporting anti-Semitic crimes and on improving integration of Germany's different communities.</s>FELIX KLEIN, ANTI-SEMITISM COMMISSIONER, GERMANY: Anti-Semitism has always existed in Germany, also, after 1945. And now, though, it is showing its ugly face more openly. Things that people would never have dared to say in a bar, or in a restaurant, or in private surrounding, do it so now using social media, or the net.</s>WARD: Germany has seen upticks in neo-Nazi activity before, most notably in the 1990s. While official statistics show that more than 90 percent of anti-Semitic attacks nationwide is from the far-right, there is a new element of concern for the Jewish community. The arrival of 1.4 million Muslim refugees in the last three years. Doron Rubin is the leader of Germany's small orthodox Jewish community.</s>DORON RUBIN, HEAD OF BERLIN'S KAHAL ADASS JISROEL CONGREGATION: With a lot of coming -- the incoming of a lot of immigrants who have a different history, and a different background and especially, obviously, coming from the Middle East, have also, because of Islam, a different attitude towards Jews.</s>KLEIN: When we talk about Muslim originated anti-Semitism, I think we can only win that battle with the help of the moderate Muslims. Without them, this wouldn't be a successful fight.</s>WARD: Overall, the Jewish community remains anxious.</s>RUBIN: I think much more Jews now think again, like can we have culture only in our home? And is it possible to live in this society? You can notice that the question that might not have been asked five years ago, it is starting to pop up again.</s>WARD: It is a question few in this country ever imagined would have to be asked again.</s>ANDERSON: Well, let's bring in Clarissa Ward, who is in London for you tonight. Terrific reporting. What more did you learn in Germany, Clarissa?</s>WARD: Well, I think that Germany is unique, or perhaps I should say that Germany is really taking the lead in acknowledging that the problem exists, trying to deal with the problem, appointing an anti-Semitism czar back in April. This is the first time Germany has had an anti-Semitism czar. It's a very public declaration of the fact that it is committed to trying to combat this problem. Of course, it's a very difficult road ahead in terms of finding solutions because there are so many different components of anti-Semitism. Because it doesn't only come from one place, or one community, or one theology, or ideology. That makes it difficult to combat. But I do think that we were all struck by the extent of the efforts that Germany is making to try to deal with this, both by improving a nationwide reporting system, for anti-Semitic acts, by improving education, by improving integration. There is a sense that they are taking a brave and bold step and admitting they have a problem. Where many others simply want to foist the blame on to another country, another community, another ideology -- Becky.</s>ANDERSON: We've also been learning that prejudice isn't directed exclusively at the Jewish community. Muslims also becoming targets. In fact, 37 percent of people polled viewed Muslims unfavorably. That was particularly high in Hungary and in Austria, Clarissa, where almost half the people that CNN spoke to felt that way. And in contrast only 10 percent of them viewed Jews in a negative light. What should we make of these numbers?</s>WARD: Well, I think it is important for people to understand, Becky, that hate is hate. And it can manifest itself in anti-Semitism. It can manifest itself in Islamophobia or homophobia or a number of different prejudices. At the end of the day a lot of people have described anti-Semitism as being a so-called canary in the coal mine. It's an indicator that there is a shift in the zeitgeist, that there is a nasty tone to the rhetoric, that there is an uptick or escalation in hate. And the comfort that people feel in expressing ideas that are hateful. And it is very important for our viewers to understand that while we were focused on this topic on the issue of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia is rampant. You mentioned there, 37 percent of people openly admitting that they have a negative or unfavorable impression of Muslims. And when you look at the far-right and when you look the picture in Germany, the far- right has been mobilized and energized and emboldened. Not for their hatred for Jews but for their hatred for migrants, their biases and prejudices against Muslim, the Muslims in Germany are the ones who are bearing the brunt of the vast majority of the hatred. Though, of course, those far- right people are also reflexively anti-Semitic in their views -- Becky.</s>ANDERSON: Let's just remind our viewers, Clarissa, these are the countries involved in CNN's poll. The U.K., France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Poland, and Sweden. Where will your reporting be taking us tomorrow?</s>WARD: Tomorrow we'll be looking at France. And were looking at something that members of the Jewish community called "the new anti-Semitism". Anti- Semitism coming from radical corners of the Muslim community and also the whole issue of Israel, Palestine. How that conflict has affected anti- Semitic attitudes when criticism of Israel veers into straight anti- Semitism -- Becky.</s>ANDERSON: Fascinating. All right, Clarissa Ward is in London. That series, of course, continues this week. Anti-Semitism in Europe helped fuel the Zionist movement in the late 1800s as Jews push for homeland of their own where they would be free from persecution and attack. The horrors of the Holocaust only deepened this desire. And in 1948 the state of Israel was born. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he is concerned about results of CNN's new polling. Calling anti- Semitism, and I quote, ancient disease that has the power to sweep entire societies. Well, Mr. Netanyahu sat down for an exclusive interview with our Oren Liebermann, who joins us now from Jerusalem with more on that -- Oren.</s>OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becky, the survey we did, the survey from CNN on anti-Semitism in Europe has made front page news since its release and continues to do so. Upon its release, Yedioth Ahronoth, one of the major papers here, ran it not only as the front-page story but also, a two-page spread inside. More papers picked it up today. Anti-Semitism in Europe is not something surprising to Israelis, to Jews, anywhere in the world. Anti-Semitism elsewhere isn't a surprise either. And yet the depth of the survey and some of the numbers you talked about with Clarissa are stilt striking, still, as you point out, the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was concerned, but not surprised.</s>BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Not concerned. Because I think anti-Semitism is an ancient disease in which rears its ugly head. It first attacks Jews but it never stops with that. And then sweeps of entire societies has happened obviously in the midcentury Europe, first in Germany, and then throughout all of Europe and the consequences were horrible. Yes, I'm concerned. But I think we have to fight it. And we are fighting it. And some of the -- most of the European countries and governments, I commend them for fighting anti-Semitism. They're right.</s>LIEBERMANN: It is easy to sit here and make statements and say never again, every Holocaust Memorial Day, but that is not going to end this. Do you see the concrete actions that need to happen here on behalf of European countries?</s>NETANYAHU: Well, let's distinguish between two things. First, the sources of anti-Semitism. There's old anti-Semitism in Europe that came from the extreme right and that is still around. But there is also new anti-Semitism that comes from the extreme left, and also the radical Islamic pockets in Europe that spew forth these lies and slanders about Israel. The only democracy in this entire region. So yes, I'm concerned with that. But again, what do I see? Number one, I see European governments, I spoke to Merkel, Macron, in May, and others, they're putting up a fight. And I'm seeing this in Eastern Europe. I saw Viktor Orban in Hungary, he's opened up a center against anti-Semitism. I saw Sebastian Kurz in Austria who just held a conference against anti-Semitism. And that's encouraging. I'll tell you what else is important. The state of Israel is important. Because when we had no state, we were completely defenseless against anti- Semitic forces that annihilated a third of our people, every third Jew was destroyed. Well, today, we have a state. We have a capacity to stand up for ourselves and to defend ourselves and that ultimately is the best guarantor against anti-Semitism.</s>LIEBERMANN: You mentioned Hungary, one of the countries, in Poland as well. These are countries where anti-Semitic imagery, dog whistle anti-Semitism was used in every day politics. And yet, nevertheless they have good relations with Israel. Their leaders seem to have good relations with you. Is there a contradiction there? How do you reconcile that?</s>NETANYAHU: Look, there are old tendencies that have to be fought and they keep coming back. It's like -- I describe anti-Semitism is like a chronic disease. It can be fatal if you don't challenge it. And it can be contained and reduced if you do. That's what I expect governments and leaders to do, and most of them actually do do it.</s>LIEBERMANN: What about when those leaders both use that anti-Semitic imagery and are strong friends of Israel?</s>NETANYAHU: I don't think they should. I don't think they do. And I think that ultimately, the real issue is can we tolerate the idea that people say that Israel doesn't have a right to exist? Which I think is the ultimate anti-Semitic statement, you know. The majority of the Jewish people are very soon going to be living in Israel. There are over 6 million Jews now living in Israel. So, the new anti-Semites say this. Well, we're not against Jews, we're just against the state of Israel. The idea that Israel doesn't have -- the Jewish people don't have the right to a state, that's the ultimate anti-Semitism of today.</s>LIEBERMANN: Are you confident about the future of Jews in Europe?</s>NETANYAHU: I think it has to be protected. And we expect every government to act to protect Jews, just as they would act to protect anyone living there and many are. Individual Jews have a choice, they can always come here, but we respect their individual choice. But I also expect, and actually think that the governments of Europe, by and large, I have to say, just about every one of them, acts to fend off these attacks, because they're wrong in their own right. And also, they're wrong, they're dangerous, for the society at large, and I'm glad to see this policy. Pretty much across the board.</s>LIEBERMANN: It is so easy to look at the results of our survey, either one any specific result or the result as a whole and be pessimistic about the state of anti-Semitism in Europe and the safety of the Jewish community in Europe. And yet, Becky, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu multiple times pointed out the work being done on the part of European countries and commended the work being done on the part of Western and Eastern European countries to countries to fight anti-Semitism. So, if there is a so-called silver lining or a bit of encouragement here, it is that the leader of the world's only Jewish state is able to look at Europe and say, yes, the work is there to combat anti-Semitism. But our results show that there is still clearly a long way to go.</s>ANDERSON: Yes, no, you make a real, really valid point, thank you. Incredible in-depth CNN reporting from both Clarissa and Oren here. And a reminder -- thank you, Oren -- we'll have a lot more from Clarissa on the show tomorrow, from France. A quick preview for you.</s>WARD (voice-over): Miriam and her family have considered moving from France. Joining the more than 55,000 Jews who have left since the year 2000. In the sanctuary of their home, they celebrate Shabbat, a ritual ushered in every Friday night, by lighting candles and reciting a blessing.</s>MIRIAM: I'm scared for the future of my baby here. I hope that he will have a future here. And you know, Jewish communities are a part of the history of France, really. And so, I think France, without any Jews is not any more France.</s>ANDERSON: CNN's full investigation available online, head to CNN.com/antisemitism and you can also get a lot more reaction there from authorities. And the story of a teacher in Berlin, for example, who suffered anti-Semitic abuse at work when people found out her religion. That is CNN.com/antisemitism. We'll stay on this story throughout the hour. As we've heard Europe's poisonous past still festers in some places. I speak to an historian of Holocaust denial and Jewish history. That is later in this show. And tonight, British government says Brexit will be costly, really costly. We'll tell you how much it will impact the country's economy, after this.