Arak IR-40
Heavy Water
Reactor, Iran

ADL's Top 10 Issues
Affecting Jews In 2012

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ADL p blished, annual list of top ispues
facing
in I* Oast year. 1

Jews

troubling resurgence of anti-
Semitism in Europe, Iran's
subterfuge on the road toward a
nuclear weapons capability and the lopsided
vote at the United Nations to upgrade the
status of the Palestinian delegation topped
the Anti-Defamation League's (ADL) annual
list of top issues affecting Jews in 2012.
"While it isn't always true, this year was
a year with particular emphasis on events
overseas:' said ADL National Director
Abraham H. Foxman. "For us at ADL, and
indeed for the entire Jewish community in
America, which has long assumed respon-
sibility for the well-being of Jews abroad,
including in Israel, these are matters of
great concern to us and are very relevant
to our own organization."
These issues topped the ADL list:

,

The Anti-Defamation League fights anti-
Semitism through programs and services
that counteract hatred, prejudice and
bigotry. Michigan Region: (248) 353-7553.

the film in an effort to insult the Prophet
Muhammad and Islam had gone viral.

Olympic Refusal

This apartment in Kiryat Malachi took a direct hit from a Hamas rocket on Nov. 15.
Three people died in the attack, including a baby.

Iran

As new sanctions against Iran's bank-
ing, petrochemical and energy sectors
took force, its economy floundered, but
it remained defiant in its open pursuit
of a nuclear weapons capability. The
International Atomic Energy Agency's
February 2012 report noted Iran's stockpile
of 20 percent enriched uranium increased
by almost half, and Iran had begun pro-
duction of enriched uranium at a heavily
defended installation deep underground.
The threat of a nuclear-armed Iran was
underscored by the regime's open embrace
of the Hamas assault on Israel and its
promise to supply the Gaza-based terrorist
organization with more powerful rockets
to target Israeli cities. The European Union
and the U.S. adopted additional restrictive
measures against Iran in 2012, signaling
that pressure would continue to increase
on the regime as long as it refuses to take
steps to halt its nuclear program.

United Nations

The United Nations General Assembly, in
a lopsided vote, approved on Nov. 29 an
upgrade of the Palestinian delegation from
an observer entity to that of "non-member
state observer" with a vote of 138 nations
in favor, nine opposed and 41 abstentions.
With the resolution, which was vehement-

22 December 27 • 2012

1. Anti-Semitism resurgent in Europe
2. Iran sanctions and subterfuge
3. U.N. vote to upgrade "Palestine"
4. Gaza rockets met with Israeli air-
strikes
5. Campaign 2012 and efforts to woo
the Jewish vote
6. Rumor Jews were behind anti-
Muslim film goes viral
7. Primary presidential candidates
mix religion and politics
8. 2012 Olympics Committee fails to
recognize Munich 11
9. U.S. Jewish community on alert as
year begins, ends with anti-Semitic
incidents
10. Deafening silence in face of
Hamas celebrations to "destroy
Israel"

ly opposed by Israel and the U.S., the U.N.
made it increasingly difficult to move the
peace process forward.
The U.N. vote could have longstanding
implications for the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict, enabling the Palestinians to
gain recognition in other world bodies
while foregoing negotiations with Israel,
and possibly enabling the Palestinians to
bring charges against Israeli leaders in the
International Criminal Court.

Operation Pillar of Defense

After an incessant barrage of rocket and
missile attacks on Israeli towns and cit-
ies from Gaza, Israel launched Operation
Pillar of Defense. During the Israeli mili-
tary operation, which consisted mostly of
airstrikes, more than 800 rockets fell on
Israeli towns and cities. Israel's operation
targeted senior Hamas terrorist leaders
and managed to successfully destroy weap-
ons factories and rocket-launching sites.
The U.S. and Egypt served as constructive
mediators in an attempt to reach a cease-
fire, which took effect Nov. 21.
"Much of the world remained silent
as Hamas took to the streets to celebrate
their supposed 'victory' over Israel and the
Hamas leadership vowed to destroy the
Jewish state:' Foxman added.

Religion And Politics

Repeated inappropriate references to reli-
gion and divisive faith-based voter appeals
marked the 2012 presidential primary
campaign.
During the presidential election, both
incumbent Democratic President Barack
Obama and challenger Republican Gov.
Mitt Romney made unprecedented efforts
to woo Jewish voters. In the end, an
estimated 70 percent of American Jews
voted to re-elect President Obama. That
was slightly less than the 74 percent he
received four years ago, but the Jewish vote
still contributed to the president's overall
electoral victory and his wins in key swing
states, including Florida.

Destructive Rumors

It was rumored that 100 Jewish investors
had been recruited to finance the ama-
teurish film Innocence of Muslims, whose
trailer was posted to YouTube and sparked
violent protests across the world, includ-
ing demonstrations in front of Israeli and
American embassies in some two dozen
Muslim and Arab countries.
While the film was eventually revealed
as the work of a Coptic Christian with a
criminal record and hateful motives, the
myth that Jews produced and financed

Among those calling for the 11 Israeli ath-
letes murdered at the 1972 Munich Games
to be memorialized at the 2012 Olympics
in London were President Obama, the U.S.
Senate, Germany, Canada and Australia,
and nearly 100,000 individuals who signed
on to a petition; however, the International
Olympic Committee refused a request to
hold a moment of silence at the opening
ceremony of the 2012 Summer Games in
London to remember the slain athletes,
saying it would "politicize" the games.

Anti Semitism
The shocking attack on Jewish school
children in France by an Islamic terrorist
reinforced for Jews around the world that
anti-Semitism is still a serious problem in
France and indeed all of Europe.
"Time and again, Jews were the targets
of anti-Semitic incidents in communities
in a number of European countries, and
in three countries virulently racist and
anti-Semitic political parties won seats in
parliament:' said Foxman. "Our survey
of attitudes toward Jews in 10 European
countries revealed anti-Semitic attitudes
are still deeply ingrained on the continent:'
As 2012 came to a close, several Jewish
communities across the U.S. reported
more anti-Semitic acts, among them the
vandalism of a menorah at Northeastern
University in Boston, where anti-Semitic
fliers were also discovered, and anti-Jewish
graffiti on Chanukah displays in South
Florida.

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