AJC Reaffirms Support For European Sanctions Against Austria

American Jewish Committee
Friday, 5 May 2000

In the face of Joerg Haider's resignation from the Freedom Party, the American Jewish Committee announced today that it would continue to suspend public contacts with the Austrian government and exclude Austrian diplomats from formal AJC programs and events.

The announcement, part of a policy statement adopted by AJC's National Council, reaffirms AJC action taken in February upon the inclusion of the Freedom Party in the Austrian government. At the time AJC expressed support for European Union sanctions imposed against the Austrian government. Today's resolution also reasserted that support.

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, addressing AJC's Annual Dinner last night, said: "There is no room anywhere in Europe for the politics of hate. We allowed that virus to spread in the past; we will not allow it to infect our future."

The AJC policy statement adopted today:

- reaffirms its condemnation of the intolerant and xenophobic views expressed by Joerg Haider and promulgated by the Freedom Party;
- welcomes and seeks avenues of cooperation with groups and individuals in Austria opposed to the inclusion of the Freedom Party in the governing coalition and committed to a full reckoning by Austria with the facts and obligations of its World War II-era history;
- reasserts support for the European Union sanctions undertaken against the Austrian government;
- suspends public AJC contacts with the Austrian government and maintains a policy of excluding Austrian diplomats from formal programs and events;
- calls on other American Jewish organizations, as well as organizations representing other ethnic and religious constituencies, to pursue similar policies to demonstrate universal opposition to the political success and enfranchisement of intolerance in Austria.

The American Jewish Committee will continue to monitor developments in Austria, maintain close contact with the Austrian Jewish community, and assist in publicizing and disseminating information on these developments in the United States.

The full text of AJC's policy statement on Austria follows:

THE AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE STATEMENT ON AUSTRIA
MAY 5, 2000 · WASHINGTON

The February 2000 inclusion of Joerg Haider's far-right Freedom Party in Austria's new governing coalition – the result of parliamentary elections in which the party finished second with 27 percent of the vote – continues to send a chill throughout Europe and around the world. The 14 other states of the European Union responded with unprecedented diplomatic sanctions, signaling alarm at the seeming legitimacy conferred on a party that has espoused openly racist and xenophobic themes and only slightly veiled anti-Semitic ones, and that has repeatedly rejected calls for Austria to address its Holocaust-era past.

In addition to the ongoing EU sanctions, the United States has limited its high-level contacts with Austria, the U.S. House of Representatives has approved a resolution condemning statements by the Freedom Party leader, and Israel has recalled its ambassador. The American Jewish Committee, in a February 1, 2000, declaration and in other statements, has denounced the Freedom Party's appeal to intolerance and publicly welcomed EU policy and other acts of censure as important signs that intolerance and xenophobia must be confronted wherever they arise – at the political fringe or at the center of power.

Since the formation of the new government in Vienna, AJC has consulted closely with Austrian Jewish community leaders, who remain supportive of the EU sanctions. These leaders report that Freedom Party representatives continue to disparage Holocaust restitution efforts, and that party figures harass them. Spokesmen for other European Jewish communities, including European Jewish Congress President Henri Hajdenberg, have also voiced their support for the EU policy.

In light of the foregoing – and in the belief, rooted in the terrible history of this century, that lethal ideology must be confronted lest it yield lethal action – the National Council of the American Jewish Committee hereby resolves to

- reaffirm its condemnation of the intolerant and xenophobic views expressed by Joerg Haider and promulgated by the Freedom Party;
- reassert support for the European Union sanctions undertaken against the Austrian government;
- welcome and seek avenues of cooperation with Austrian groups and individuals opposed to the ideology of the Freedom Party and committed to a full reckoning by Austria with the facts and obligations of its World War II-era history, demonstrating solidarity with the hundreds of thousands of Austrians who marched in protest after the February coalition was announced;
- suspend public AJC contacts with the Austrian government and maintain a policy of excluding Austrian diplomats from formal programs and events; and
- call on other American Jewish organizations, as well as organizations representing other ethnic and religious constituencies, to pursue similar policies to demonstrate universal opposition to the political success and enfranchisement of intolerance in Austria.

The American Jewish Committee will continue to monitor developments in Austria, maintain close contact with the Austrian Jewish community, and assist in publicizing and disseminating information on these developments in the United States.

For more information, or to contact American Jewish Committee, see their website at: www.ajc.org