Aryeh Neier,79, a founder of Human Rights Watch and the president emeritus of the Open Society Foundations, also an American Jew, who was born in Nazi Germany, addressed the issue on Sunday at a talk about philanthropy and antisemitism during an event organized by the Dutch Humanitarian Fund, or JHF, in the Hague.
Neier said, “The Trump phenomenon and the phenomenon of xenophobic forces in this part of Europe, some of whom may go further politically than they have gone so far, are likely to contribute” to antisemitism”.
Trump fought allegations during the campaign of encouraging racism and xenophobia. He has called Mexicans rapists and drug dealers, as well as for a ban on entry by Muslims into the United States.
His victory has been celebrated by European far-right groups, including Marine Le Pen of France’s National Front party and Geert Wilders, a Dutch anti-Islam campaigner.
Neier said the victory will “provide very specific encouragement to those who want to demonstrate xenophobia” because “the United States, which has portrayed itself as a leader in efforts to protect human rights, has elected somebody like Trump.”
During the talk, Neier also fielded a question on allegations that Human Rights Watch and groups funded by the American-Hungarian Jewish billionaire George Soros — who also funds the Open Society Foundations – contribute to rising antisemitism in Western Europe by singling out Israel for criticism or by supporting its demonization.
Not addressing those accusations specifically, Neier said he opposes rhetoric questioning Israel’s right to exist but stressed all governments should be subjected to “criticism on their policies.”
JHF, which the Dutch Jewish community established with Holocaust restitution money, provides hundreds of thousands of euros in funding annually for Eastern and Central European Jews.
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