Metsola wins praise of European Jewish Association for unambiguous Israeli stand

European Parliament president Roberta Metsola has earned accolades from the European Jewish Association for her support of Israel in the aftermath of the Hamas terrorist attack outside the Gaza border that killed hundreds.

Europe’s Jewish communities expressed gratitude for her visit to Israel and for meeting victims of the indiscriminate attacks at a music festival and the Kfar Aza kibbutz

“You felt first-hand the pain, you saw the lives irrevocably changed, and in running for shelter from a rocket attack during your visit, you witnessed the indiscriminate manifestation of hate that targets anyone who is Jewish. Men, women, children, the elderly,” said Rabbi Menachem Margolin, chair of the EJA.

Metsola to MEPs: ‘Hamas has pushed prospect of lasting peace further away’

“We thank you for understanding. We thank you for being there. We thank you that your high visibility, the power of your office was firmly beside the Jewish people at the time of their biggest suffering since the Holocaust.”

Margolin said a spike in antisemitism in Europe is always accompanied in the aftermath of the conflagrations in the Middle East. “Today we find ourselves in an emergency. Already the number of antisemitic attacks on social media, and calls to harm Jews has risen by 1200% in Europe alone over the past week. These are staggering and deeply distressing numbers.”

Margolin praised Metsola for leveraging her visibility by “planting a strong and unambiguous signpost that you stand with the victim and not the perpetrator. That you stand against terror. That you recognise the danger. And that you are, simply, good.”

He accused Hamas, the Islamist militia force that perpetrated the terror attacks, as having to plumbed new depths of brutality against Jews.

“We see you as a true friend of the Jewish people. And today we need friends more than ever. Doubtless in the days to come, your strong stance against terror will be assailed. You will face vitriol. You will face pressure. You will face efforts to ridicule you, conspiracy theories and more,” Margolin said. “Madame President, through all these slings and arrows that may be directed against you, we ask you to remember these famous words: ‘The only thing necessary for evil to triumph in the world is that good people do nothing’.”