BRUSSELS (EJP)---Sir Jonathan Sacks, the UK’s chief rabbi, raised the issue of anti-Semitism in Europe, during an unprecedented meeting on Tuesday between the EU leaders and representatives of the three monotheistic religions.

“I made the point forcefully and the European leaders said that the law in Europe against inciting to hatred would be strictly enforced,” the rabbi told European Jewish Press after the informal gathering between the presidents of the three EU institutions and 20 leading representatives of the Christian, Jewish and Islamic faiths.

According to a well informed source, the European Commission will soon publish a report on anti-Semitism in Europe.

Sacks, who is Associate President of the Conference of European Rabbis, noted that “with Angela Merkel in Germany, French president Nicolas Sarkozy and Gordon Brown as next British Prime Minister, things should be good for Jews in Europe.” 

Speaking at a press briefing after the meeting with religious leaders, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she has "given up hope" of having a reference to God in the new version of the European Union constitution. Merkel said she "would like to have such a reference in the treaty ... but there are not many chances left." During the 2004 negotiations on the EU's original constitution, there were concerns that any religious reference could anger Europe's Muslims and Jews.

Sacks was accompanied by three other rabbis at the meeting: Chief Rabbi David Lieberman of Antwerp, René Gutman, Chief Rabbi of Strasbourg and Rabbi Julian-Chaim Soussan from Duesseldorf.

During the meeting, Rabbi Lieberman, a member of the Presidium of the Rabbinical centre of Europe, stressed the importance of education for youths “to help know and respect each other.”

José Manuel Barroso (L), greeting Rabbi David Lieberman from Antwerp, Belgium.

Common European values

The three EU leaders – José Manuel Barroso for the European Commission, Angela Merkel whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, and Hans-Gert Poettering, president of the European parliament- called on religious communities to help shape common European values and vowed to make tolerance the basis for a dialogue between cultures.

“We agree with the principle of human dignity being in the core of our EU values,” Barroso said at a press briefing.

“Human dignity but also democracy, the rule of law, tolerance, justice, solidarity, mutual respect, which are what bind Europeans together.”

Tuesday’s meeting was part of an ongoing dialogue initiated by the European Commssion with the religious communities.

Barroso added: "Neither geographical proximity nor a shared history suffice to cement a lasting union between States and peoples. Key to the process of integration between the member states of the European Union and between their citizens is the universal values underlying our common heritage".

He stressed the need to respect freedom of religion in the EU but also in countries which want to join the union.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that Europe “has a particular responsibility to foster tolerance and help others to be tolerant.”

“It has taken us hundreds of years to learn this lesson. This is why it is one of our core convictions that intolerance cannot be tolerated,” she added.

EU and religious leaders also discussed how to promote common values beyond Europe’s borders.