Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Nov 1 2009
Foxman: Israeli-Turkish friendship to overcome tensionFont Size: Larger|Smaller
Sunday, November 1, 2009
NEW YORK – Anatolia News Agency
Anti-Defamation League National Director Abraham Foxman says there is
a deep feeling of friendship between Turkey and Israel that will help
the two countries overcome recent tensions in their relations. The
league also announced its anti-Semitism report during its annual
meeting in New York Anti-Defamation League, or ADL, National Director
Abraham Foxman has said the established Turkish-Jewish friendship will
be able to overcome the recent tensions between the two country.
The ADL is one of the leading Jewish organizations in the United
States and works to stop `anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry,’ and
to defend democratic ideals and protect `civil rights for all.’
Attending the group’s annual meeting in New York City, Foxman said the
Jewish community had always had a `profound feeling of friendship’
toward Turks and Turkey. He added, however, that there have been
various events in recent months that have put this friendship to the
test.
`It hurts more when something goes wrong between friends,’ Foxman
said. `I feel myself very close to Turkey. This is why I feel
disappointment.’
`If Turkey wants to become more friendly with the Muslim-Arab world in
the Middle East, then fine¦ But why should this be at the expense of
Turkey’s friendship with Israel and the Jews?’ he said. `I hope this
is a temporary [situation] and for the return to old strong relations.
I am optimistic; I believe our deep friendly ties will overcome these
events.’
Foxman also said the ADL’s approach to the Armenian claims over the
events of 1915 has not changed. `We continue to oppose a bill being
passed on this subject and welcome the steps taken to establish
relations between Turkey and Armenia,’ he said. `We believe that
problems should be resolved between Turkish and Armenian people in
this way and not in the United States Congress or the French
parliament.’
Iran’s nuclear program was one of the most discussed topics during the
annual ADL meeting. Asked whether Turkey was getting closer to Iran,
Kenneth Pollack, the director of research at the Brookings
Institution’s Saban Center for Middle East Policy in Washington, said
Turkey had criticized Israel over the latest clashes in Gaza but that
the country was also very concerned over Iran’s nuclear program.
ADL releases survey results
The ADL released Thursday a U.S.-wide survey that found that
anti-Semitic attitudes in the United States were equal to their lowest
levels in all the years of taking the pulse of American attitudes
toward Jews.
The survey found that 12 percent of Americans hold anti-Semitic views,
a decline from 15 percent in 2007 and matching the lowest figure ever
recorded by ADL, in 1998. In its benchmark 1964 survey, 29 percent of
Americans were categorized as having anti-Semitic views.
The 2009 Survey of American Attitudes Toward Jews, a national
telephone survey of 1,200 American adults, was conducted between Sept.
26 and Oct. 4. `The fact that anti-Semitic attitudes have reached
their lowest point to date is good news, the product of many years of
constant and intense efforts by ADL and others to make America a more
accepting society,’ said Foxman.
"At the same time, there continues to be violence targeting Jews and
an increasing use of anti-Semitic conspiracy theories,’ he said. `We
cannot dismiss that 12 percent of the American people means that there
are still over 30 million Americans that hold anti-Semitic views.’
Commenting on the incongruity of good numbers with the headlines of
anti-Semitic violent incidents and public expressions, Foxman said
that `just as the good news about the election of an African-American
as president has been tempered by the surfacing of racism and
conspiratorial thinking in reaction, so too the significant diminution
of widespread prejudice against Jews is tempered by the manifestation
of violence, conspiracy theories and insensitivities toward them.’
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